Hawaii -- Is an epic disaster unfolding in slow-motion?

My original observation was that the entire island was breaking up

It really looks like it in Ariel videos

a reply to: Flavian

Hawaii volcano sparks fears that the ‘Ring of Fire’ will see US West Coast eruptions The West Coast is home to an 800-mile-long chain of volcanoes connected to the ‘Ring of Fire’, an area of the Pacific Ocean that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions The eruption of a Hawaii volcano in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” has experts warily eyeing volcanic peaks on America’s West Coast that are also part of the geologically active region. “There’s lots of anxiety out there,” said Liz Westby, geologist at the US Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington, in the shadow of Mount St. Helens. “They see destruction, and people get nervous.” The West Coast is home to an 800-mile (1,300-kilometre) chain of 13 volcanoes, from Washington state’s Mount Baker to California’s Lassen Peak. They include Mount St. Helens, whose spectacular 1980 eruption in the Pacific northwest killed dozens of people and sent volcanic ash across the country, and massive Mount Rainier, which towers above the Seattle metro area. Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, is threatening to blow its top in coming days or weeks after sputtering lava for a week, forcing about 2,000 people to evacuate, destroying two dozen homes and threatening a geothermal plant. Experts fear the volcano could hurl ash and boulders the size of refrigerators miles into the air. But what of America’s West Coast? Here are some key things to know: What is the Ring of Fire? Kilauea is among roughly 450 volcanoes along this horseshoe-shaped belt, which follows the coasts of South America, North America, eastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It’s known for frequent volcanic and seismic activity caused by the colliding of crustal plates. America’s most dangerous volcanoes are all part of the Ring of Fire, and most are on the West Coast, according to the US Geological Survey. Besides Kilauea, they include: Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington; Mount Hood and South Sister in Oregon; and Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic Centre in California. Images of lava flowing from the ground and homes going up in flames in Hawaii have stoked unease among residents elsewhere along the Ring of Fire. But experts say an eruption on one section of the arc doesn’t necessarily signal danger in other parts. Hawaii eruption could be about to get much worse, geologists warn “These are isolated systems,” Westby said.

Hawaii volcano sparks fears that the ‘Ring of Fire’ will see US West Coast eruptions

a reply to: Gargoyle91

The experts in your source say they are not interconnected. The article is basically about people panicking over eruptions on the West Coast because of the eruption in Hawaii. Even the final quote says "these are isolated systems".

Hot spots arent the same as tectonically driven vulcanology. That isnt to say there wont be West Coast eruptions, more that if there are it is nothing to do with Hawaii.

If or when it does brake off and forms a hundred foot tidal wave, if it hits california, you might as well wave good by to a lot of people. That pressure would flex the shore and set off quakes in Cali. It has happened in the past according to the video.

a reply to: toysforadults

My original observation was that the entire island was breaking up

It really looks like it in Ariel videos

It was pointed out previously that your observation was incorrect. The current outbreaks are in a very small portion of a large island. The videos are of that very small area. Nothing there is "breaking up." Magma which has traveled underground from the summit area is breaking to the surface.

There have been many larger such outbreaks in the past and there will be in the future. It's how Hawaiian volcanoes work.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: toysforadults

My original observation was that the entire island was breaking up

It really looks like it in Ariel videos

It was pointed out previously that your observation was incorrect. The current outbreaks are in a very small portion of a large island. The videos are of that very small area. Nothing there is "breaking up." Magma which has traveled underground from the summit area is breaking to the surface.

There have been many larger such outbreaks in the past and there will be in the future. It's how Hawaiian volcanoes work.

Soon, geologically speaking, The Hot Spot will be off the Island proper and will be forming a new Island eventually. That's how the whole island chain has been formed.

a reply to: Phage

Oh my bad let me get way more granular in my approach to discussing this topic

/ end sarcasm

a reply to: pavil

It's already begun, about 400,000 years ago. In another 10,000 years or so there might be a baby island to the south of Hawaii.
www.soest.hawaii.edu...

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: toysforadults

My original observation was that the entire island was breaking up

It really looks like it in Ariel videos

It was pointed out previously that your observation was incorrect. The current outbreaks are in a very small portion of a large island. The videos are of that very small area. Nothing there is "breaking up." Magma which has traveled underground from the summit area is breaking to the surface.

There have been many larger such outbreaks in the past and there will be in the future. It's how Hawaiian volcanoes work.

Will the lava increase the size of the island?

a reply to: MotherMayEye

If it reaches the ocean, absolutely. It often does so. But sometimes there is subsidence as well. Two acres gained, one acre lost.

I hate nesting quotes!

What Phage said above. LOL

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: pavil

It's already begun, about 400,000 years ago. In another 10,000 years or so there might be a baby island to the south of Hawaii.
www.soest.hawaii.edu...

Cool. Didn't realize it was that far off the coast already. Thanks.

a reply to: pavil

A hot spot is also believed to be responsible for the Deccan Traps in India (during India's travels through what is now the Indian Ocean). That is a good example of what they are capable of, at the extreme end.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

That landslide into the ocean could happen extremely slowly though, like over a 100 year period.

Or it could happen suddenly in a mega disaster.

It's totally unpredictable.

One thing we do know for sure though is that we live on a dangerous planet that experiences cataclysms occasionally.

I think geologically speaking, this volcano is built wrong and not eruptive in the right way to seriously threaten what everyone is concerned about.

The flank is subsiding, but it's simply sinking down, not threatening to slide off the face of the mountain in one catastrophic landslide. It's too geologically stable to do that easily.

I suppose it always could happen, but it would take a lot more than what this volcano is putting out.

In the grand scheme of things this current eruption hasn't quite shown itself to be on par with historical eruptions of this type in this area yet although there's no reason to think it won't get there, but with volcanoes, until they put up, there's no reason to think they'll produce.

For those that are interested, the latest USGS map (dated May 14th), shows the rift zone in the inset in the lower right corner. It's a pretty sizeable chunk of land.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan



For comparison, this is what happened when Kilauea did this in 1955.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: toysforadults

My original observation was that the entire island was breaking up

It really looks like it in Ariel videos

It was pointed out previously that your observation was incorrect. The current outbreaks are in a very small portion of a large island. The videos are of that very small area. Nothing there is "breaking up." Magma which has traveled underground from the summit area is breaking to the surface.

There have been many larger such outbreaks in the past and there will be in the future. It's how Hawaiian volcanoes work.

To be honest neither of you really know what is going to happen...

I love when people try to sound smarter than others by saying something hypothetical as well.