Scientists recently discovered that the Hawaiian island of Oahu consists of three big volcanoes, not two as previously believed.
Scientists from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa recently discovered that the Hawaiian island of O’ahu originates from three big volcanoes, not two as previously thought.
Up until now, the Wai’anae and Ko’olau peaks have been getting all the credit, but it turns out that what was once thought to be an extension of the former is really a volcano in its own right.
It’s called Ka’ena and it’s believed it developed about 5 million years ago, but didn’t emerge above sea level for quite some time after that. In fact, Ka’ena is the first-born volcano that allowed the other two to rise from its flanks.
Scientists believe that once Ka’ena broke through the water, only 3 thousand feet of the 2 and a half-mile mountain was visible on land.
Over time, its massive weight caused it to sink further into the ocean floor until it was once again completely submerged.
Evidence backing the scientists’ claim that Ka’ena was once active above the ocean’s surface comes via lava specimens found on the underwater mass.
The volcanic matter contains patterns that could only have been formed when exposed to air.
Said one of Ka’ena’s discoverers, "We like to think we know how many Hawaiian volcanoes there are, but what we know about what's underwater is a huge area of ignorance."
