Volcanic Activity and Magmatic Processes in Hawai'i

Hawai'i is a paradigmatic example of intraplate hotspot volcanism, where a deep mantle plume supplies basaltic magma to form successive shield volcanoes. The principal active centres, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, exhibit interconnected yet distinct magmatic plumbing systems comprising deep mantle sources, mid‐crustal sills and dykes, and shallow summit reservoirs. Magma ascent is guided along rift zones, where extensional stresses facilitate dyke intrusions that feed flank eruptions. Seismicity, ground deformation and gas emissions track fluctuations in reservoir pressure and magma migration, offering insights into eruption forecasting. Flank instability, modulated by gravitational body forces and episodic intrusions, underscores the interplay between magmatic overpressure and decollement slip. Advances in seismic imaging, geodesy and petrological modelling have refined our understanding of reservoir geometry, melt fraction and mush dynamics. These findings not only inform hazard assessment and crisis response in Hawai'i but also shed light on hotspot processes and volcanic stability worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have shown that cascading pressure changes within the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō plumbing system triggered the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, illustrating how minor reservoir blockages can precipitate major flank events. Independent component analysis of satellite‐derived deformation patterns has revealed anticorrelated ground motions between Mauna Loa and Kīlauea, demonstrating that stress transfer, rather than hydraulic connection, controls the interaction of their shallow reservoirs. This work highlights the elastic coupling of neighbouring volcanic centres and emphasises the importance of integrated geodetic and numerical modelling for interpreting volcano–volcano interactions.

Volcanic Activity and Magmatic Processes in Hawai'i publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in volcanic activity and magmatic processes in hawai'i across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Magma plumbing system: The network of interconnected magma reservoirs, dykes and sills through which magma ascends.

Rift zone: Linear zones of crustal extension along which dykes intrude and eruptions commonly occur.

Decollement: A low‐angle detachment surface at the base of a volcanic flank that can accommodate sliding.

Dike: A vertical or steeply inclined sheet of magma that intrudes and solidifies within host rock.

Sill: A horizontal or gently inclined tabular intrusion emplaced between layers of pre‐existing rock.

References

1. The cascading origin of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption and implications for future forecasting. Nature Communications (2020).
2. Elastic interaction between Mauna Loa and Kīlauea evidenced by independent component analysis. Scientific Reports (2022).
3. Density structure of Kīlauea volcano: implications for magma storage and transport. Geophysical Journal International (2024).
4. Constraining the Lithospheric Discontinuity Structure Beneath Hawaiʻi Using Teleseismic Receiver Functions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (2023).
5. Tracking magma pathways and surface faulting in the Southwest Rift Zone and the Koaʻe fault system (Kīlauea volcano, Hawai ‘i) using photogrammetry and structural observations. Bulletin of Volcanology (2024).