The name of the summit

Mokuʻāweoweo is the summit crater (caldera) of Mauna Loa. Although a trail was developed in ancient times, Mokuaweoweo proved a difficult goal for the first outsiders who underestimated the difficulty of the journey. An American visit in 1840 turned into a trip of almost a month. Historically very active, Mokuʻāweoweo has been quiet since 1984.

The name of the summit crater is derived from the ʻāweoweo, a red Hawaiian big-eyed fish, Priacanthus meeki, purportedly due to resemblance of the eruptive fires to the color of the fish.[10] The main oval depression is about 3 miles (4,800 m) long and 1.5 miles (2,400 m) wide. Two side craters, partially fused with the main one, are known as North Pit and South Pit. Southwest of the summit caldera are two smaller pit craters, Lua Hou (New Pit) and Lua Hohonu (Deep Pit).[11]

Mokuʻāweoweo is now part of the Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness area, in the U.S. National Wilderness Preservation System.[12]
[edit] Geology and history
[edit] Origins

Mauna Loa began erupting between 700,000 and 1,000,000 years ago and has grown steadily since then. Like all of the Hawaiian islands, Mauna Loa has its origins in the Hawaii hotspot—a plume of magma rising from deep in the Earth's mantle. The hotspot remains in a fixed position, while the Pacific Plate drifts over it at a rate of about 4 inches (10 cm) per year. The upwelling of the hot magma creates volcanoes, and each individual volcano erupts for a few million years before the movement of the plate carries it away from the rising magma.

The hotspot has existed for at least 80 million years, and the Emperor Seamounts chain of old volcanoes stretches almost 3,600 miles (5,800 km) away from the hotspot. Currently, the hotspot feeds activity at five volcanoes: Mauna Loa, Kīlauea, and Hualālai on the Big Island, Haleakalā on Maui, and Loʻihi, a submarine volcano south of the Big Island and the youngest Hawaiian volcano. Mauna Loa is the largest of these, although Kīlauea is currently the site of the most intense volcanic activity.[13]Discount Swimsuits
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