Volcanoes of Hawaii
In lieu of the most recent fissure eruption in the Puna District of the Island of Hawai‘i, we want to clear up some confusion about our volcanoes. Unlike the rest of the volcanoes that surround the Ring of Fire, the Hawaiian Islands were and still are created by a hotspot magma chamber in the asthenosphere. Over this hotspot, the Pacific Tectonic Plate slowly moves. Due to this type of uprising of magma, our Hawaiian Islands form as shield volcanoes. So what is the big confusion? As most of the world is not familiar with the idea that there are many different types of volcanoes and lava flow events, one of the biggest things has been that many people have thought that the eruptions have been signs that we will be…