World record for largest shield volcano broken. Scientists discover volcano twice as big(Representative)
Scientists have discovered a new shield volcano that has broken the world record for the worlds largest shield volcano. Mauna Loa was long believed to be the largest on Earth. A recent study, however, shows that Puhahonu, which means 'turtle rising for breath', is reportedly twice the size of Mauna Loa.
Hotspots that produce volcano chains like Hawaii can undergo pulses of melt production. A small pulse created the Midway cluster of now extinct volcanoes and another, much bigger one created Puhahonu. This will rewrite the textbooks on how mantle plumes work," said Michael Garcia, lead author of the study.
He further added, "We are sharing with the science community and the public that we should be calling this volcano by the name the Hawaiians have given to it, rather than the Western name for the two rocky small islands that are the only above sea level remnants of this once-majestic volcano."
The Gardner Pinnacles (Pūhāhonu) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is the world's largest shield volcano. Only two peaks rise above the surface of the ocean, forming two barren rock outcrops surrounded by a reef and located at 24°59′56″N 167°59′58″W.
The volcano is 511 nautical miles (946 km; 588 mi) northwest of Honolulu and 108 miles (94 nmi; 174 km) from French Frigate Shoals. The total area of the two small islets—remnants of an ancient volcano that may be the world's largest shield volcano—is 5.939 acres (24,030 m2). The highest peak is 170 feet (52 meters). The surrounding reef has an area in excess of 600,000 acres (2,400 km2; 940 sq mi).
