How The Hawaiian Islands Were Formed Animation

If you have ever considered a tropical island getaway, Hawaii has probably crossed your mind. This popular tourist destination has some of the most breathtaking sites in the earth.

From the crystal clear Pacific Sea, the coral reefs, the scenic hikes, and incredible sunsets, it's no wonder why people continue to flock to Hawaii and its islands.

How Was Hawaii Formed?

Have you lot ever wondered how these islands came to be? If so, you lot're not alone. The nigh usually taught answer, though insufficient, is that the islands were formed from volcanic activity.

While it is true that volcanoes played a significant role in the formation of this isle chain, there is far more to the story of the Hawaiian islands. So, how did Hawaii become the paradise that we all know and adore today?

How Many Islands Does Hawaii Have?

When yous think of the Hawaiian islands, the names Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii (sometimes known as the 'Big Island'), likely spring to listen.

While these are three of the largest and nigh pop islands in the chain, there are, in fact, five other major Hawaiian islands. The names of these islands are Kohhlawe, Lanai, Molokai, Kauai, and Niihau.

Of these eight major islands, seven of them are inhabited. Niihau is the merely major island in Hawaii that is not regularly occupied as it is privately endemic.

You might be surprised to learn that there are over 100 islands in this archipelago. There are 137 Hawaiian islands, to be verbal, each with unique attractions and geology.

Hawaii has Volcanic Origins

Approximately 40 to 70 million years agone, the 137 islands of Hawaii began to grade. Every island in the archipelago originated from multiple underwater volcanic eruptions.

Magma burst from underneath the seafloor until it reached the body of water's surface. Once magma reaches the Earth's surface, it is known as lava.

Lava cools and solidifies to form landmasses, or islands. Due to their volcanic origins, it is not surprising that all of the islands in this chain have at least one volcano.

Some of the islands, like the Big Island of Hawaii, have more than i. About of the islands' volcanoes take non erupted in years and are considered fallow.

There are currently but six active volcanoes in Hawaii, with iv on Hawaii and ii on Maui. The newer islands are where you'll notice active volcanoes.

Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on World. You'll observe it standing over nine,000 feet on the isle of Hawaii.

Hawaii is a Geologically Unique Location

Hawaii is different whatsoever other place on Earth because of the way it formed, just also considering of its location.

Volcanic eruptions caused the germination of the Hawaiian islands, but these eruptions originated from a hot spot underneath the seafloor.

Heat rises from deep in the Globe'south drapery, creating underwater volcanoes. Somewhen, as these volcanoes go on to erupt, the magma will reach the World's surface and grade land.

Hot spots are unique places considering they're usually not found at the boundaries of tectonic plates where we are used to seeing volcanoes form.

Most of the world's active volcanoes are located in the Band of Burn down and on the Pacific tectonic plate's boundaries.

Scientists estimate that there are only 40 to 50 hot spots in the world. These include the hot spots that formed Hawaii and caused geysers in Yellowstone National Park.

The Germination of the Islands

The question remains; how was Hawaii formed? The germination of Hawaii is clearly more complex than simply attributing it to volcanoes.

The Pacific tectonic plate was, and yet is, moving northwest across the hot spot under the seafloor.

As this plate moved across the hot area where magma forms, a volcano pushed the magma through the plate to the Earth's surface.

When the magma hit the Earth's surface, information technology became lava. That lava somewhen solidified. This procedure may technically be how the islands came to be, but it was not so straightforward.

All the magma did not achieve the Globe's surface on the first eruption, or even the second. There are often multiple eruptions that occur before the magma becomes lava and an island is formed.

The magma created underwater volcanoes, and as those continued to erupt, the lava edged closer to the ocean'southward surface over time.

After dozens of eruptions, the magma finally reached the World's surface and formed the islands.

This procedure took a long time, sometimes with a million years or more in between islands cropping up, though eruptions were happening below the sea in the concurrently.

The Hawaiian Islands Formed Over Fourth dimension

All of the Hawaiian Islands were not created at the same time. As y'all motion from east to west across the hundreds of Hawaiian Islands, the islands get older.

This management-age connection is due to the Pacific plate moving in a northwest direction. The further away an island is from the tectonic plate from which its first volcano originated, the older it is.

Most of the original islands take already eroded and have inactive volcanoes. Some of the older major islands are in the beginning stages of erosion.

The older the island is, the more likely it is that the island'southward volcano has get inactive. Newer islands tend to have more active volcanoes because of their more than recent formation.

The Big Isle is the youngest of the Hawaiian islands, which would explain why it has the highest number of agile volcanoes.

To put the historic period differences between some of the islands into perspective, Oahu is significantly older than Hawaii'southward island.

The two of Oahu'due south volcanoes haven't erupted or shown whatsoever activity in over one million years. In contrast, 2 volcanoes on the isle of Hawaii erupted only a few months ago.

Is At that place a Possibility of New Hawaiian Islands?

When yous consider how the Hawaiian Islands were formed in the starting time place, new islands could likely bring together this archipelago at some point.

However, this will exist in the distant future if this happens. The Globe's tectonic plates are continuously moving, which, as we know, is what caused the Hawaiian islands to form initially.

Equally long every bit geological processes stay the same, a new island is likely. Roughly 20 miles southeast of Hawaii's isle is an active volcanic site on the seafloor.

This volcanic site is known equally Loihi and is predicted to be the next Hawaiian isle site. As the Pacific plate continues to move, it will cross into this area, and a new island will form.

The possibility of a new Hawaiian island developing is high, merely it is not something we will run across in our lifetime. Scientists judge it volition accept a minimum of 10,000 years.

Final Thoughts

The formation of the Hawaiian islands shows the true power and beauty of our planet. The intense eruptions from below the seafloor accept created some of the most desired places in the earth.

The Hawaiian islands are a beautiful and unique place to visit and for those who alive there. From trigger-happy, volcanic origins to the world's top honeymoon destination, Hawaii's story is nothing short of boggling.

Side by side time y'all are thinking near Hawaii, you lot will be able to appreciate the islands a footling more, knowing their origins and history.

Source: https://www.americanoceans.org/facts/how-was-hawaii-formed/

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