Kilauea

A caldera has likely existed at Kilauea’s summit for as long as the volcano has existed. Collapse occurred repeatedly as magma swelled the summit area and then drained rapidly through the flanking rift zones. Large fault blocks formed there and at Uwekahuna Bluff as repeated collapse steepened the caldera walls. Since the last major collapse, repeated overflows of Halemaumau and eruptions from the caldera floor have partially refilled the basin. Early Western explorers encountered a much different scene, with cliffs 900 feet high, while today the cliffs are half that height, indicating the pace of caldera filling during historic time.

Mauna Loa Estates, Hawaii · United States