Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Activity of Hawaiian Volcanoes during the years 1940–1950

  • Published:
Bulletin Volcanologique Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Summit eruptions of Mauna Loa, on the Island of Hawaii, occurred in 1940 and 1949, and flank eruptions in 1942 and 1950. Lava poured out in 1940 and 1942 was about equal in amount, totaling approximately 76 million cubic meters in each eruption. The 1949 eruption was somewhat smaller, liberating approximately 59 million cubic meters. The 1950 eruption was one of the largest on record, producing five large lava flows and several smaller ones, totaling approximately 459 million cubic meters. Three of the 1950 flows entered the sea. In 1942 a lava flow threatened the city of Hilo, and was bombed from the air in an effort to divert it.

Calculations indicate that the gas content of the lava extruded during the 1940 eruption probably was in the vicinity of one percent by weight of the total magma. Other calculations indicate the viscosity of fluid Hawaiian lava to be in the range of 103 to 105 poises. Temperature readings on the 1950 lava ranged from 10900 to 9000 C.

Kilauea Volcano showed signs of uneasiness in 1944, with an apparent increase of magmatic pressure indicated by outward tilting of the moutain flanks and a series of earthquakes progressing toward the surface. In December 1950 a series of earthquakes accompanied a subsidence of the summit of Kilauea Volcano.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Bibliography

  1. Einarsson, T.,The eruption of Hekla, 1947–1948; IV, 3. The flowing lava. Studies of its main physical and chemical properlies: Visindafelg Islendinga (Soc. Sci. Islandica), 70 pp., Reykjavik, 1949.

  2. Finch, R. H.,The 1942 eruption of Mauna Loa: Volcano Letter, no. 476, pp. 1–6, 1942.

  3. -----Lava rivers and their channels: Volcano Letter, no. 480, pp. 1–2, 1943.

  4. -----The viscosity of Mauna Loa lava flows: Volcano Letter, n. 480, pp. 2–3, 1943.

  5. -----Activity at Mauna Loa in November 1943: Volcano Letter, n. 482, p. 1, 1943.

  6. —————The seismic prelude to the 1942 eruption of Mauna Loa: Seismol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 33, pp. 237–241, 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Finch, R. H.,Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Report for July–September 1944: Volcano Letter, n. 485, pp. 2–3, 1944.

  8. -----The November–December 1944 crisis at Kilauea: Volcano Letter, n. 486, pp. 1–2, 1944.

  9. —————Volcanic tremor, Part I: Seismol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 39, pp. 73–78, 1949.

    Google Scholar 

  10. —————Earthquakes accompanying the 1949 eruption of Mauna Loa: Seismol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 40, pp. 263–266, 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  11. ----- andMacdonald, G. A.,Bombing to divert lava flows: Volcano Letter, no. 506, pp. 1–3, 1949.

  12. ----------The June 1950 eruption of Mauna Loa, Part I, Narrative of the eruption: Volcano Letter, no. 508, pp. 1–11, 1950.

  13. ----------Report of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory for 1950: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 996-B, pp. 27–89, 1953.

  14. Finch, R. H., Powers, H. A. andMacdonald, G. A.,Flow pumice on Hawaiian basalts: Volcano Letter, no. 502, pp. 1–2, 1948.

  15. Graton, L. C.,Conjectures regarding volcanic heat: Am. Jour. Sci., vol. 243-A, pp. 135–259, 1945.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Jaggar, T. A.,The Hualalai earthquake crisis of 1929: Volcano Letter, no. 309, pp. 1–2 and no. 310, pp. 1–3, 1930.

  17. -----The bombing operation at Mauna Loa: Volcano Letter, no. 431, pp. 4–6, 1936.

  18. -----Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Report for April–June and July–September, 1940: Volcano Letter, n. 468, pp. 10–11; no. 469, p. 4, 1940.

  19. —————Protection of harbors from lava flow: Am. Jour. Sci., vol. 243-A, pp. 333–351, 1945.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Macdonald, G. A.,The 1942 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaii: Am. Jour. Sci., vol. 241, pp.241–256, 1943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. -----Petrography of the island of Hawaii: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 214-D, pp. 51–96, 1949 B.

  22. —————Hawaiian petrographic province: Geol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 60, pp. 1541–1596, 1949 A.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. ----- andFinch, R. H.,The Mauna Loa eruption of January, 1949: Volcano Letter, no. 503, pp. 1–7, 1949.

  24. ----------The June 1950 eruption of Mauna Loa, Part 2, Special features: Volcano Letter, no. 509, pp. 1–6, 1950.

  25. ————— andOrr, J. B.,The 1949 summit eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaii: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 974-A, pp. 1–31, 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Minakami, T.,On the temperature and viscosity of the fresh lava extruded in the 1951 Oo-sima eruption: Earthquake Res. Inst. Bull., vol. 29, pp. 487–498, 1951.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Nichols, R. L.,Viscosity of lava: Jour. Geology, vol. 47, pp. 290–302, 1939.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Palmer, H. S.,A study of the viscosity of lava: Hawaiian Volc. Observatory Bull., vol. 15, pp. 1–4, 1927.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Schulz, P. E.,Some characteristics of the summit eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, in 1940: Geol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 54, pp. 739–746, 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Shepherd, E. S.,Kilauea gases, 1919: Hawaiian Volc. Observatory Bull., vol. 9, pp. 83–88, 1921.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Stearns, H. T., andMacdonald, G. A.,Geology and ground-water resources of the island of Hawaii: Hawaii Div. of Hydrography Bull. 9, 363 pp., Honolulu, 1946.

  32. Verhoogen, J.,Les éruptions 1938–1940 du volcan Nyamuragira: Exploration du Parc National Albert, MissionsJ. Verhoogen (1938 et 1940), Fasc. 1, 186 pp., Bruxelles, 1948.

  33. Waesche, H. H.,Mauna Loa summit crater eruption 1940: Volcano Letter, no. 468, pp. 1–9, 1940.

  34. Washington, H. S.,Petrology of the Hawaiian Islands: II. Hualalai and Mauna Loa: Am. Jour. Sci., 5th ser., vol. 6, pp. 100–126, 1923.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Wentworth, C. K., Carson, M. H. andFinch, R. H.,Discussion on the viscosity of lava: Jour. Geology, vol. 53, pp. 94–104, 1945.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, United States Geological Survey, USA

    Gordon A. Macdonald (Director)

Authors
  1. Gordon A. Macdonald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Publication authorized by the Director, U. S. Geological Survey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Macdonald, G.A. Activity of Hawaiian Volcanoes during the years 1940–1950. Bull Volcanol 15, 119–179 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02596001

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02596001

Keywords

Search

Navigation