Knowra Haleakalā Haleakalā Haleakalā is a massive dormant shield volcano on Maui whose summit forms the island’s eastern highland. Its broad volcanic landscape includes a summit depression, cinder cones, and steep coastal slopes.
Hawaiian hotspot : A mantle source of volcanism beneath the Pacific Plate that formed the Hawaiian Islands as the plate moved northwest. Its plume supplied the magma that built Maui and Haleakalā.
Haleakalā Crater : A large erosional depression near Haleakalā’s summit, containing cinder cones and younger volcanic deposits. This summit feature gives the volcano its most recognizable interior landscape.
Haleakalā National Park : A United States national park protecting summit and coastal landscapes on Maui, including Haleakalā’s volcanic interior. The park preserves much of the volcano’s summit terrain and native ecosystems.
Haleakalā eruption of 1790 : A late-eighteenth-century Haleakalā eruption associated with lava flows on Maui’s southwest coast. It is the volcano’s most recent eruption with a widely cited historical date.
Volcanic hazard : A threat to people or infrastructure from volcanic processes such as lava flows, ash, or gases. Haleakalā is considered dormant, but future activity and its hazards remain relevant to Maui.
Shield volcano : A broad volcano built mainly by fluid lava flows that spread across gently sloping flanks. Haleakalā’s immense, gently sloping form is characteristic of this volcano type.
Cinder cone : A steep, usually small volcanic hill built from fragments of erupted lava. Numerous cones rise from the floor of Haleakalā’s summit depression.
Haleakalā Observatory : A group of astronomical and atmospheric research facilities near the summit of Haleakalā. The high, clear summit conditions support major astronomy and atmospheric studies.
Haleakalā silversword habitat : The high-elevation volcanic environment where Haleakalā silverswords grow, shaped by cold, dry conditions and thin soils. It shows how summit conditions support highly specialized native life.
Volcanic dormancy : A period of volcanic inactivity that does not establish whether a volcano is extinct. The label describes Haleakalā’s current state without ruling out future eruptions.
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