 This kipuka formed during the Pu`u `O`o-Kupaianaha eruption on the east rift zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. |
Kipuka
Hawaiian term for an "island" of land completely surrounded by one or more younger lava flowsA. A kipuka forms when lava encircles a hill or a slight rise in the ground as it moves downslope or across relatively flat ground. Because they are surrounded by more recent flows, kipukas are often covered with mature vegetation. |
 |
Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii Aerial view of a kipuka surrounded by a 1955 lava flow on the east rift zone of Kilauea Volcano. The whitish color of the 1955 flows is due to lichen growing on them. |