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Assignment 1
Mauna Loa's last major eruption occurred
in 1984. A building amount of earthquakes occurred
3 years prior to the eruption. Inflation
increased. As Mauna Loa began to erupt, fissures spread
quickly, and lava fountains became numerous. There
were steam emissions and thin lava flows which
threatened nearby areas. Four days after the
eruption had begun, a'a flows were more common, the lava
was becoming more viscous and diminished in output
quantity. About three weeks later, the eruption
had ended, and the lava did not reach Hilo, a nearby
town. Mauna Loa is a Hawaiian-style volcano, the
most obvious reasoning being that it is a Hawaiian
volcano. Low viscosity lava flows characterize
Mauna Loa's eruptions, which are around a VEI of 1: lava
bubbles out with little pressure applied, the calmest of
all eruptions. Currently, Mauna Loa is not erupting,
however, it is due. |