Abstract
The size, shape, and magmatic history of the most recently discovered shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, Mahukona, have been controversial. Mahukona corresponds to what was thought to be a gap in the paired sequence (Loa and Kea trends) of younger Hawaiian volcanoes (<4 Ma). Here, we present the results of marine expeditions to Mahukona where new bathymetry, sidescan sonar, gravity data, and lava samples were collected to address these controversies. Modeling of bathymetric and gravity data indicate that Mahukona is one of the smallest Hawaiian volcanoes (∼6,000 km3) and that its magmatic system was not focused in a long-lived central reservoir like most other Hawaiian volcanoes. This lack of a long-lived magmatic reservoir is reflected by the absence of a central residual gravity high and the random distribution of cones on Mahukona Volcano. Our reconstructed subsidence history for Mahukona suggests it grew to at least ∼270 m below sea level but probably did not form an island. New 40Ar–39Ar plateau ages range from 350 to 654 ka providing temporal constraints for Mahukona’s post-shield and shield stages of volcanism, which ended prematurely. Mahukona post-shield lavas have high 3He/4He ratios (16–21 Ra), which have not been observed in post-shield lavas from other Hawaiian volcanoes. Lava compositions range widely at Mahukona, including Pb isotopic values that straddle the boundary between Kea and Loa sequences of volcanoes. The compositional diversity of Mahukona lavas may be related to its relatively small size (less extensive melting) and the absence of a central magma reservoir where magmas would have been homogenized.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Terry Kirby and the other members of the Pisces V team for the successful dives on Mahukona; the captain and crew of the R/V Kilo Moana, R/V Kila, and R/V Atlantis II for assistance with surveying and sampling Mahukona; John Huard for 40Ar–39Ar ages; Mike Vollinger for XRF analyses; Charles Knaack for ICP-MS analyses; Jane Barling and Bruno Kieffer for their help in acquiring the isotopic data at PCIGR; Joshua Curtice for assistance with helium measurements; and the reviewers (S. Huang, D. Clague, and an anonymous reviewer) and the editor, M. Clynne, of this paper for their constructive comments. This work was supported by NSF grant EAR05-10482 to MOG and GI, and a NSERC Discovery Grant to DW. Our 2009 expedition was funded by the State of Hawai`i, through SOEST as a student research cruise. This paper is SOEST Contrib. #8608.
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Garcia, M.O., Hanano, D., Flinders, A. et al. Age, geology, geophysics, and geochemistry of Mahukona Volcano, Hawai`i. Bull Volcanol 74, 1445–1463 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-012-0602-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-012-0602-4