Ninole Hills

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The Ninole Hills, also known as the Ninole Volcanic Series, are steep, eroded hills known as shield basalts located on the south side of the Island of Hawaii. Recent data suggests that these hills are either the remnants of large escarpments that predate the Mauna Loa volcano (the largest active volcano in the world), or uplifted blocks from the oldest parts of the Mauna Loa fault system.[1][2]

It is apparent from the ruggedness of the eroded hills that they are much older than the surrounding landscape. Although most of the surface of Mauna Loa is thought to have formed within the last 4,000 years, the Ninole Hills are estimated to be between 100,000 and 200,000 years old.[3] During this period of time it appears that massive failures in the support of the south wall of Mauna Lao took place, resulting in debris landslides that removed chunks out of the volcano, revealing remnants of the older sections of Mauna Loa.[4][3]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Rochelle Minicola, Ken Rubin. Mauna Loa Volcano. www.soest.hawaii.edu. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
  2. ^ Peter W Lipman, J M Rhodes and G Brent Dalrymple. SpringerLink - Journal Article. www.springerlink.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
  3. ^ a b Donald W. Hyndman, Richard W. Hazlett & (2005). Roadside Geology Of Hawai'i. Missoula, MN: Mountain Press Publishing, pp 97–99. ISBN 0-87842-334-3. 
  4. ^ GEOL205: Giant Landslides: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. www.uhh.hawaii.edu. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.

[edit] External links

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