How many volcanoes are there on the Big Island?
Which ones are extinct, dormant, or active?
Landsat image of the Island of Hawaii, taken February 11, 1973. The
Island of Hawaii is made of five volcanoes. From north to south they
are: Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea. The volcanoes
become younger from north to south. This simulation of true color was
made by the U.S. Geological Survey Flagstaff image-processing facility.
Answer:
Five volcanoes make up the island of Hawaii. Volcanoes that will never
erupt again are considered extinct. Dormant volcanoes have not erupted
in historic time (the last 200 years in Hawaii) but probably will erupt
again. Active volcanoes have erupted in historical time (the last 200
years in Hawaii).
Kohala,
the oldest volcano on this island, last erupted about 60,000 years ago
and is considered extinct.
Mauna Kea
last erupted 3,600 years ago and is
dormant.
Hualalai
,
Mauna Loa
, and
Kilauea
are active. Hualalai erupted
seven times in the last 2,100 years. The only historic eruptions were in
1800 and 1801. Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984 and sent flows towards
Hilo. Kilauea has been erupting since 1983.
Loihi
, a submarine volcano,
is 15 miles (24 km) southeast of the island and 3,178 feet (969 m) below
sea level. Loihi will probably not reach sea level before 250,000 years
or more. Seismicity, geothermal vents, and fresh lava indicate Loihi is
active.