Volcan

Isolated in the vast Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian Islands are the high points of a great volcanic range built up from the sea floor by thousands upon thousands of volcanic eruptions. Each year millions of people visit Haleakala and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Parks to see landscapes shaped by molten lava. Haleakala Crater, with its otherworldly vistas of red cinder cones and dark lava flows, boasts some of the world's most colorful volcanic scenery. An eruption of Kilauea or Mauna Loa, with towering lava fountains and rivers of flowing lava, evokes wonder in every visitor. This book provides a brief explanation of volcanic activity in Hawai'i and the resulting landforms, in the belief that a better understanding of what one sees will enhance the pleasure of seeing it.

This reprint was updated in 2007 by Christina Heliker and Donald Swanson of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, United States Geological Survey.