What Makes Hawaii’s Erupting Volcanoes Special

Hawaii’s Volcanic Activity

Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano erupted recently for the first time in nearly four decades, drawing attention to the unique characteristics of this and other volcanic eruptions in the region.

Along with Mauna Loa, several other volcanoes are currently erupting, including Kilauea in Hawaii and Mount Semeru in Indonesia. Mauna Loa stands out as the largest active volcano worldwide, occupying over half of the big island of Hawaii.

Comparison with Other Volcanoes

Volcanologist Alison Graettinger shared insights with Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber about what differentiates Mauna Loa’s eruption from others around the Pacific. Analyzing these differences provides a deeper understanding of Earth’s geological processes.

The conversation explored the specific characteristics of Mauna Loa compared to other significant volcanic activities, highlighting how diverse the eruptions are and what these differences indicate about the planet’s inner workings.

Watch the Mauna Loa eruption through the U.S. Geological Survey’s live video stream.

This analysis was edited for accuracy by Gisele Grayson and produced by Rebecca Ramirez, with Josh Newell as the audio engineer.