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Volcano-Tectonic Processes on Submarine Flanks of Hawaiian Volcanoes: Barry Wynn Eakins

Project Title: Volcano-Tectonic Processes on Submarine Flanks of Hawaiian Volcanoes
Mendenhall Fellow: Barry Wynn Eakins, (650) 329-5237, beakins@usgs.gov
Duty Station: Menlo Park
Start Date: April 28, 2002
Education: Ph.D. 2002, Earth Sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego
Research Advisors: Pete Lipman, (650) 329-5295, plipman@usgs.gov; Tom Sisson, (650) 329-5247, tsisson@usgs.gov; Don Swanson, (808) 967-8863, donswan@usgs.gov 		      Barry Wynn Eakins

Project Description: The USGS has, for the past several years, been collaborating with Japanese researchers, onboard JAMSTEC (Japan Marine Science and Technology Center) research vessels, in studies on the growth of Hawaiian volcanoes: how they grow; the role of surficial and catastrophic slumping; and associated volcano hazards that could potentially impact Pacific Rim countries. Detailed seafloor morphology data collected on these cruises (by the hull-mounted SeaBeam 2112 multibeam sonar system, the towed ROV Kaiko and the manned submersible Shinkai 6500) is being used to interpret geologic structures of submarine rift-zone ridges and the lower flanks of the volcanoes (for example, slumps, debris slides, sheet flows, volcanic cones and terraces). This effort will be continued during the coming summer months (July and August 2002) by diving on Hana Ridge (the submarine extension of Haleakala Volcano, Maui), Hilo Ridge (Kohala Volcano, Hawaii) and Puna Ridge (Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii) to better understand the emplacement and eruption of lavas along these distal and deep rift zones, as well as by further mapping the bathymetry around the islands. A slump and bench complex along the northeast flank of Haleakala Volcano that appears to be in an earlier stage of development than the much-studied mid-slope bench on Kilauea's southeast flank will also be investigated and should prove to be an informative comparison.

JAMSTEC multibeam data for the Hawaiian Islands
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Submarine rift-zone ridges
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