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INTRODUCING HAWAI' I
Formation of the Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian islands are the tips of a large
chain of volcanoes stretching almost 3,100
miles (5,000 km) from Hawai'i Island to the...
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Előszó
1 o
INTRODUCING HAWAI' I
Formation of the Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian islands are the tips of a large
chain of volcanoes stretching almost 3,100
miles (5,000 km) from Hawai'i Island to the
Aleutian Trench in the north Pacific. Most are
now underwater stumps, fringed by coral reefs,
but many were once great shield (dome-shaped)
volcanoes. The oldest, northernmost volcano
is slowly disappearing into the Aleutian Trench.
The youngest volcano - Kilauea - today spews
out basaltic lava, creating new land on Hawai'i
Island. This cycle of destruction and creation,
driven by the conveyor-belt movement of the
Pacific plate over a stationary hot spot of
magma, has been occurring for 70 million years.
Moloka'i's sea cliffs (see pp86-7) con-
stitute the back wall of giant landslide
scars formed when half of the Wailau
shield volcano slumped into the sea.
Marine erosion keeps the cliffs steep by
undercutting the bases.
The areas of undulating ocean floor are
deposits of giant landslides. Little is known
about them because they sit in deep water,
and their precise age of formation is unknown.
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