Evolution of Kilauea During the Last 10,000 Years
What did Kilauea look like 10,000 years ago? It certainly had a
summit, an East Rift Zone, and a Southwest Rift Zone. There may (or
may not) have been a caldera. The slides start with a grossly
simplified map that shows a single unit of rocks 10,000 years old or
older. There were certainly lava flows and tephra of very different
ages. Because nearly all of these rocks are buried it is difficult
to know much about them. Geologists know much more about the last
10,000 years of Kilauea. The following slides show the general
distribution of deposits and source vent (summit, East Rift Zone, or
Southwest Rift Zone). Because many vents and deposits are buried
their exact locations are speculative. The following speculation was
compiled by Steve Mattox who is solely responsible for its content.
It is based on Figure 12.12 by Robin Holcomb's Eruptive History and
Long-Term Behavior of Kilauea Volcano in U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 1350.
