This Science News Wire page contains a press release issued by an organization and is provided to you "as is" with little or no review from Science X staff.

Living in the shadow of Mauna Loa: A silent summit belies a volcano's forgotten fury

September 8th, 2014

Earth's largest active volcano, Mauna Loa on Hawaii's Big Island, is taking a nap. And after 30 years, no one is sure when the sleeping giant will awaken. Scientists say it's likely to erupt again within the next couple of decades and, when it does, it will be spectacular—and potentially dangerous.

Although Mauna Loa often takes a back seat to the more famous Kilauea, which has been erupting nearly continuously since 1983, history warns us that Mauna Loa's current silence is anomalous. Meanwhile, more people and more buildings pack into potentially hazardous areas: locations where Mauna Loa's lava has reached in the past and likely will reach again. Read more about the steps geologists are already taking—such as upgrading their monitoring tools and talking with the public—to prepare for another eruption of Mauna Loa in the September issue of EARTH Magazine: http://bit.ly/1p1SXiU.

For more stories about the science of our planet, check out EARTH magazine online or subscribe at http://www.earthmagazine.org. The September issue, now available on the digital newsstand, features stories about a new Neanderthal ancestor found in a Spanish cave, the effect of volcanic ash on Southern Ocean plankton, and a tribute to Nereus, the United States' only full-ocean-depth submersible, which was lost at sea in May, plus much, much more.

Provided by American Geosciences Institute

Citation: Living in the shadow of Mauna Loa: A silent summit belies a volcano's forgotten fury (2014, September 8) retrieved 29 March 2024 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/171628727/living-in-the-shadow-of-mauna-loa-a-silent-summit-belies-a-volca.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.