Kīlauea Caldera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kīlauea Caldera |
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Satellite image of the Kīlauea Caldera with a steam plume rising from Halemaʻumaʻu
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,589 ft (1,094 m) |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Error {{native name}}: an IETF language tag as parameter {{{1}}} is required (help) |
| Geology | |
| Last eruption | 1982 |
The Kīlauea Caldera, also known as Kaluapele in Hawaiian, is a giant bowl-shaped depression at the very top of Kīlauea. Kīlauea is a very active shield volcano located in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Imagine a volcano that looks like a warrior's shield lying on the ground – that's a shield volcano!
This huge caldera is about 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) long and 3.1 kilometers (1.9 miles) wide. Its edge stretches for about 12.6 kilometers (7.8 miles), covering an area of about 10.7 square kilometers (4.1 square miles). Inside this massive crater, you'll find Halemaʻumaʻu, which is another active, deep pit crater near the caldera's edge.
Contents
What is the Kīlauea Caldera?
The Kīlauea Caldera is like a giant, deep bowl at the summit of the Kīlauea volcano. Its walls are made of steep cliffs called fault scarps. These cliffs formed because the ground inside the caldera slowly sank downwards over time. It's a bit like a giant sinkhole, but caused by powerful volcanic activity!
Most of the caldera's floor is covered by hardened lava. This lava has flowed out from eruptions that have happened since the 1800s. Each new flow adds another layer to the caldera's floor.
Exploring the Caldera's Surroundings
Around the Kīlauea Caldera and its smaller neighbor, Kīlauea Iki, there's a paved road called Crater Rim Drive. This road is about 17.7 kilometers (11 miles) long. It allows visitors to easily explore parts of the amazing Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Right on the edge of the Kīlauea Caldera, you'll find the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This important place was built in 1912. Scientists here constantly watch Kīlauea and other Hawaiian volcanoes. They study eruptions and help keep people safe.
History of Eruptions
The Kīlauea Caldera has a long history of volcanic activity. Besides the ongoing activity within Halemaʻumaʻu, there have been several eruptions directly from the caldera itself.
Some of the recorded eruptions from the Kīlauea Caldera happened in:
- 1982
- 1975
- 1974
- 1971
- 1921
- 1919
- 1918
- And possibly even earlier in 1820 and 1790.
These eruptions show that Kīlauea is a very active and powerful volcano!
See also
- List of volcanoes in the Hawaiian – Emperor seamount chain
- Kamoamoa
