Someone set up the spare room for Ku'u and Nal.

Professur

Professur

Well-Known Member
Scientists: World's largest volcano ready to erupt





KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) - Earthquakes have been rumbling more frequently deep beneath Mauna Loa, suggesting that the world's largest volcano is getting ready to erupt for the first time in 20 years, scientists said.

"We don't believe an eruption is right around the corner, but every day that goes by is one day closer to that event," said Paul Okubo, a seismologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on the Big Island.

Mauna Loa erupted for three weeks in 1984, sending a 25-kilometre lava flow toward Hilo. Since then, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that more than $2.3 billion US has been invested in new construction along Mauna Loa's slopes.

Since July, more than 350 earthquakes have been recorded far beneath the 4,170-metre-high Mauna Loa, said Don Swanson, scientist-in-charge at the observatory.

"Mauna Loa is grumbling, growling and getting ready to come out of its den," he said.

The earthquakes have been what seismologists call "long period," which means their signals gradually rise above the noise generated by usual seismic activity.

"Such a concentrated number of deep, long-period earthquakes from this part of Mauna Loa is unprecedented, at least in our modern earthquake catalogue dating back to the 1960s," Okubo said.

While forecasting an eruption cannot be exact, Okubo noted that the mountain today is wired with more state-of-the-art tracking and measuring technology than ever before.

The definite sign of an impending eruption is an earthquake swarm - a dramatic increase in the number of daily tremors from a handful, to dozens to ultimately hundreds, Okubo said.

Mauna Loa is within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which also contains the well-known Kilauea volcano. Kilauea has been erupting continuously since Jan. 3, 1983.
Click to expand...

Source
 
Having been there I would say that it isn't panic time yet. The volcanos of Hawai'i are some seriously massive 'shield' mountain grade volcanos (es?). It takes one heck of a Pele-upsetting to get the lava down to where her subjects are.
 
Pompei is parked right on top of a major city of millions with little distance. Hawaiians of of tougher stock... much tougher... and more spiritual. It is of the sands of time and but a bump in the road.
 
unclehobart said:
Pompei is parked right on top of a major city of millions with little distance. Hawaiians of of tougher stock... much tougher... and more spiritual. It is of the sands of time and but a bump in the road.
Click to expand...

You mean Vesuvius, doncha? Pompei was destroyed a few millenia ago.

But what always worries me about Hawaii is that it's not exactly what it appears. It's actually more of a mushroom shape, undercut below the waterline in many places. A few sharp tremplors and all of a sudden your island is a few yeards shorter, and missing a large chunk of shoreline.


Edit: Found this. Might be handy.
 
I've been drinking, I toldja... Pompei... parked under a major modern major city I should say... and staring right at danger. Thank god the Italians don't matter a hill of beans these days. Their chaos would hardly be felt.
 
Mauna Loa is grumbling, growling and getting ready to come out of its den," he said
Click to expand...

ever stand on top of a mountain that is grumbling and growling? it's a very humbling experience!

but i'm not worried, we hawaiians know the land, and basically know where we should and shouldn't build. it's the others that come here and arrogantly think its their right to build their homes/resorts where they shouldn't. :shrug:
 
Professur said:
But what always worries me about Hawaii is that it's not exactly what it appears. It's actually more of a mushroom shape, undercut below the waterline in many places. A few sharp tremplors and all of a sudden your island is a few yeards shorter, and missing a large chunk of shoreline.
Click to expand...

all very true. chunks slide away into the ocean all the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top