![]() ![]() It is the second-largest volcano on planet Earth after Tamu Mastiff but has the largest subaerial volcano in both mass and volume. Mauna Loa is an active shield volcano that has gentle slopes that were built from the flowing lava from the eruption. There are two other routes often used by expedition teams to reach the top of Mauna Loa. Currently, the Ainapo Trail is used for summiting that was reopened in the 1990s.The first to summit Mauna Loa was botanist Archibald Menzies, Lieutenant Joseph Baker, George McKenzie of Discovery, and a servant named Jonathan Ewins, in the year 1794.The first attempt to summit Mauna Loa was made by James Cook during his third voyage but was unsuccessful due to the route.One of the trails called Ainapo Trail ascending from Kapāpala village ends at the summit of Mauna Loa at its caldera.As per beliefs and mythology, it is believed that Mauna Loa is home to the volcano goddess Pele. ![]() The five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii are considered sacred as per ancient Hawaiian religious practice.It was studied for its history of destructive eruptions and its proximity to human settlements. It was designated as a decade volcano, one of the 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of Earth’s Interior. As one of the largest subaerial volcanoes in both mass and volume, it has attracted the attention of many people.The last recorded eruption was in 1984 and the volcano has remained quiet for over 35 years, which is the longest in its history.It damaged some parts of the settlement but did not claim any lives. The eruptions in the years 1879, 1880, and 1881 led to the flow of lava to the boundaries of Hilo – the largest city on Hawaiian Island.It took place alongside the disastrous 1868 Hawaiian earthquake claiming the lives of 77 people. The deadliest eruption from Mauna Loa so far was in 1868.The first record historically witnessed volcanic eruption from Mauna Loa was in January 1983.So far in history, it is recorded to have erupted 33 times from 1843, once every five years on an average. The most recent eruption from Mauna Loa was recorded from 24th March to 15th April in 1984.The magma that flows out of Mauna Loa is from the Hawaii hotspot that created the Hawaiian Island chain over millions of years.The findings indicate that it emerged above sea level around 400,000 years ago. As per records, it is found that the shield active volcano has been erupting for over 700,000 years.The shield-stage lava forming the slopes of the volcano is tholeiitic basalt which is made from a mix of magma and subducted oceanic crust.The lava from Mauna Loa is poor in silica, fluid, and non-explosive. It is one of the five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii but the largest one in mass and size.It has gentle slopes formed by the flow of the thin layer of lava which is low in viscosity. It is an active shield volcano formed by the eruption of highly fluid lava.The summit caldera of Mauna Loa is known as Moku‘āweoweo with an area of 15 square km and a depth of 180 metres. The dome of the volcano is 120 km long and 103 km wide covering almost 51% of the Hawaiian Island. ![]()
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