Into Learning About Volcano's (Kilauea, Kealakekua: real estate, house, earthquakes)

[YellowstoneDate]

The State Of Hawaii is kind of very lucky. The Volcano's make the Hawaii Islands grow in size. Never danger to the whole state only isolated parts. Thoughts?

[Galactastica]

...You are basically correct? I'm not sure what you're asking here, really. Can you clarify?

The islands do grow in size while they are active, however because of their small non-continental land mass they will erode and disapear faster than other land masses, ie the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, etc. One day all the islands will be shoals and atolls and new islands will be the active growing ones.

As far as danger, it depends on what type of danger you are talking about. Sure, danger and destruction from lava is really only wherever there is activity at or wherever isn't dormant, extinct, etc, however, there are other dangers from a geologically unstable area that may affect the other islands. Earthquakes will happen more freqently, therefore the threat of damage and tsunami activity is greater and affects non-active areas. For instance, there was a landslide in Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island a long time ago that sent a wave rushing over the island of Lana'i!

[OpenD]

The first thing to know about volcanoes is that the plural of volcano is volcanoes.

The second thing to know is that in terms of the state's growth from volcanic action, yes, it is ongoing, but at a geologic pace. The oldest islands in the chain were formed about 5 million years ago, while the Big Island is a baby at only about a half million years of age. Its growth from the lava outfall from Kilauea in the Puna district of the Big Island only amounts to about 40 acres added per year, and it's not really useful real estate.

[hotzcatz]

Maybe it's the possessive term, sort of like the volcano's lava or something along that line?

The state is still growing, there's the new island of Lokahi, isn't it? It's supposed to show up pretty quickly, although those vulcanologist (how does one spell that? [no, don't say "t", "h", "a", "t", either!]) folks keep using geological time instead of real life time like everyone else.

It is kinda jolly to have a fairly well behaved volcano on the island. She has taken up to spewing vog in the last half decade or so, though.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Maybe it's the possessive term, sort of like the volcano's lava or something along that line?

Unfortunately it was the "apostrophe used for a plural" error, and on the internet, as we all know, a kitten dies every time someone does that.

The state is still growing, there's the new island of Lokahi, isn't it?

Actually, its name is Lö'ihi, which means tall, because it already rises 2 miles above the sea floor. It only has another 3,000 feet to go until it breaks the ocean surface. With global warming, maybe a little more.

It's supposed to show up pretty quickly, although those vulcanologist (how does one spell that? [no, don't say "t", "h", "a", "t", either!]) folks keep using geological time instead of real life time like everyone else.

Yes, to a vulcanologist a geological "jiffy" is about 50,000 years, which is approximately when Disney is expected to begin booking vacations there. Due to its proximity to Naʻālehu (it's about 20 miles southeast of there) there has been interest expressed in creating a ferry service which could make use of the old Naʻālehu sugar cane dock area. Given the amount of time required for the filing, review, approval, and litigation of required environmental impact statements, the backers may be off to a late start.

It is kinda jolly to have a fairly well behaved volcano on the island. She has taken up to spewing vog in the last half decade or so, though.

I agree. Except for the SO2 emissions, and the occasional burning of a house or two, I enjoy having an active volcano in my backyard. It means there's always something to talk about besides the weather.

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Actually, its name is Lö'ihi, which means tall, because it already rises 2 miles above the sea floor. It only has another 3,000 feet to go until it breaks the ocean surface. With global warming, maybe a little more.

Actually, Lōʻihi is a "seamount" (underwater volcano), not an "island." Moreover, the Hawaiian meaning of "Lōʻihi" in this instance is "long", because the seamount has an "elongated" shape. At one time, both Lōʻihi and Kīlauea (which means "spewing") were believed to be "satellites" of its larger neighbor Mauna Loa (which means "long mountain").
UGSG - Lo`ihi Seamount, Hawai`i

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Jonah K

Actually, Lōʻihi is a "seamount" (underwater volcano), not an "island."

Yes, indeed it is, although even the likes of Geology.com get a little giddy sometimes and refer to it in places as an "underwater island" or a "submarine island."

Moreover, the Hawaiian meaning of "Lōʻihi" in this instance is "long", because the seamount has an "elongated" shape.

I bow to your superior knowledge of the language, but I found several conflicting references. The sources I used translated the name as "tall," referring to its 2 mile rise above the sea floor. Looking further now, I see other sources referring to it being called "long" because its rift zone is 31 km long (referred to in some places as 31 miles long ) I do know how tricky it is when a word has multiple meanings, as this one seems to. I see the word being given various meanings of "length, height, distance, tall," and "long." In this case I'll accept the USGS site as authoritative when they say, as you did, that in this use the word means long and refers to the shape of the seamount, because they add the fact that it was so named in 1955, and because they include a nice map view to illustrate its shape and geographical relationship to the 5 volcanic zones of the Big Island.

I'm now having fun imagining a Uke-Rock group called Pele's Kids tearing into a blazing rendition of Little Richard's "Lōʻihi Lōʻihi Sally."

Lo`ihi Seamount, Hawai`i

It's interesting to note that Lōʻihi Seamount is already getting a lot of visitors, such as this FeMO (Iron Oxidizing Microbial Observatory) Project, which studies the iron oxidizing bacteria which thrive in the thermal vent and rain down to form fantastic deposits. Look at the photo on the top right of this site to see the bizarre "rusty" peaks that form.

FeMO -- Fe-Oxidizing Microbial Observatory at Loihi Seamount -- Home Page

Here's another

Global Volcanism Program | Loihi | Summary