The highest mountain on earth is Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world underwater. Mauna Kea - a dangerous volcano or a calm mountain

Since school, many of us know and remember that the most high mountain Everest is on the planet. However, there are scientists trying to refute this thesis. The fact is that mountains are measured in different ways and depending on the method that was chosen for measurement, noteworthy results are obtained. Do you know what the most is called? high mountain in the world underwater? Many will not be able to answer this question, but there is a mountain on the planet called Mauna Kea and its height is 1300 meters higher than the well-known Everest.

A treacherous volcano or a harmless mountain?

In fact, Mauna Kea is inactive volcano, classified as panel. In the photos available on the Internet, there are no clearly visible boundaries of the crater; most often you can just see a large cauldron. This type of volcano is associated with repeated eruptions of hot liquid molten rocks. The surrounding area is covered by a stream of gushing magma in such a way that slightly sloping slopes are formed.

The peak activity of the volcano, which appeared a million years ago, ended 250 thousand years ago. According to researchers, awakening extinct volcano currently unlikely.

Shield types of volcanoes go through several stages:

The panel board begins with the emergence of a hot spot;
During the shield stage the volcano is most active;
At the post-shield stage, the formation of the form is completed. At this time, it is impossible to predict the behavior of the volcano;
The final stage is inaction.

Mauna Kea, which is part of the Hawaiian Islands, is currently considered the highest mountain on the planet, despite the fact that most of it is located under water. The mountain is notable for tourists for its snow cap, which is absolutely not typical for a tropical climate. This is the reason for its name, which means “ White Mountain».

World Observatory

Due to its close location to the equator, Hawaii is considered an ideal place to conduct astronomical observations. Therefore, no one is surprised by the fact that Mauna Kea is a real center for the study of astronomical objects that emit their own or reflected light. Since the mountain is located quite far from the city, it provides the opportunity to achieve ideal clarity of atmosphere.

There are currently thirteen telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea. various states. The most important are the Keck Observatory of Hawaii, the US National Space Administration's infrared space telescopes and the Subaru 8.2-meter optical telescope. You can watch the work of the observatories online: by connecting to a webcam.

In addition to the fact that Mauna Kea amazes scientists with its height, it also leads in terms of the level at which telescopes are assembled. The devices are located at a height exceeding 40 percent of the atmospheric layer, due to which relative dryness is achieved. The absence of clouds at this altitude allows year-round stargazing.

Flora and fauna

There are three nature reserves on the giant mountain. The flora of the summit is represented by perennial low-growing grasses that are not afraid of low temperatures and strong winds inherent in the alpine belt. In the Reserve, located on the top of Mauna Kea, they observe an endangered wandering predator - the wolf spider, which lives at an altitude of 4 thousand meters. Between the stones, heated by the sun's rays, you can see Forest Scarf butterflies hiding from the cold.

On the second layer there is a reserve with an area of 21,000 hectares, under the protection of which is Sophora aureus, endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago. Europeans who settled the island in the 18th century caused a significant decline in the legume population. Currently, only 10% of the trees remain.

At the bottom of the mountain there is a reserve with endangered species of plants and animals. The ecological system was severely damaged after the importation of cattle and the clearing of land for planting sugar cane. In order to preserve the endangered flora, it was decided to eradicate large-horned animals from the island.

Rest

Every year, more than 100,000 people from all over the world come to admire the beauty of Mauna Kea. You can get to the top of the mountain using powerful SUVs. The main attraction of the giant mountain is the observatory.

In winter, tourists can go skiing, although the routes at the very top are not suitable for such leisure activities due to the high wind speed, which reaches 100 kilometers per hour.

Which mountain is the highest in the world? It depends on how you measure them. There are two mountains that claim to be the tallest in the world. The summit of Mount Everest is higher above sea level than the summit of any other mountain, but Mauna Kea is the highest when measured from base to summit. Mauna Kea, an inactive volcano in Hawaii, is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from its base, deep into the Pacific Ocean, to the top. Discussion of the issue of height rests on the fact that most of Mauna Kea in Hawaii is underwater, and so measuring from the aforementioned sea level does not do justice to its enormous size.

The summit of Mauna Kea is 4,205 meters above sea level, but it extends approximately 6,000 meters below the surface of the water. Therefore, the total height is 10,210 meters, which is almost one and a half kilometers more than Mount Everest, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Thus, it is included in the list of the highest mountains in the world.

In Hawaiian, Mauna Kea means "White Mountain" and its snowy peak attracts skiers and snowboarders. Its lower slopes are popular hunting areas, hiking, sightseeing and bird watching.

Its location near the equator makes Mauna Kea an excellent astronomical observation site. Low humidity and clear skies do weather near the top of the volcano are almost ideally suited for many of the world's leading space observatories. The mountain's distance from city lights and the island's stark lighting also help provide the atmospheric clarity that telescopes require.

Mauna Kea is currently home to 13 telescopes, including NASA's Infrared Telescopes, Caltech Observatory and Japan's Subaru Telescope, as well as the Keck Interferometer Telescope, the largest single-mirror telescope in the world. Mauna Kea Center webcams allow viewers online to witness these star observatories in action.

The summit of Mauna Kea holds another record. In addition to being the top of the tallest mountain in the world, it is also home to the largest astronomical observatory in the world. This observatory is located above 40% of the Earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere at the top of the mountain is extremely dry and almost free of clouds. This makes it an ideal location for an observatory. This is one of the few places where you can see snow in Hawaii - the elevation is high enough and cold enough to accumulate snow.

In Hawaiian mythology, the peaks of the island of Hawaii are sacred, and Mauna Kea is one of the most sacred. An ancient law allowed only high-ranking tribal leaders to visit this peak. Ancient Hawaiians living on the slopes of Mauna Kea relied on its vast forests for food and quarried basalt from its slopes to make tools. IN last years concerns about the vulnerability of the native species led to court cases that forced the Department of Lands and Natural resources destroy all wild species on the mountain.

Mount Mauna Kea, located on Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean is the highest on our planet. This statement is not a mistake - if measure from the base of the mountain, That " White Mountain"(this is how Mauna Kea is translated from Hawaiian) indeed higher than the famous Everest. Her height is 10,203 meters. The fact is that the base of Mauna Kea is at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, and only the top is located above the surface of the water. But even if you lead sea level reference, then Mauna Kea is rightfully considered the highest not only in the Hawaiian Islands, but in the entire Pacific Ocean — 4200 meters.

Of course, Mauna Kea is the main natural object islands of Hawaii - it occupies more than 20% of the island's area. Its volume is 3200 cubic kilometers, and the huge weight suppresses oceanic crust for 6 km. The gigantic mass leads to gradual smoothing of the volcano- by 0.2 mm per year.

Since ancient times, Mauna Kea was considered the most sacred of the peaks of the island of Hawaii and enjoyed special reverence among Hawaiians — only the leaders had the right to rise to its top. About Mauna Kea among Hawaiians there is many legends. It is believed that at its top lived creator of the universe - first ancestor.

Hawaiians' belief in the sanctity of Mauna Kea and the 4 other peaks of the Hawaiian Islands is associated with cult of Pele - goddess Hawaiian volcanoes , personifying volcanic activity, her unpredictability and destructive power. Local residents respect the goddess - glorify her in songs and dances, donate flowers and berries to her. There is a belief that before the eruption, Pele appears to people under the guise of an ancient old woman, and watching the lava flows, you can see the face of the goddess. It is believed that Pele can punish someone who disrespects Mauna Kea- according to one legend, the man who took from the mountain beautiful lava clot, angered the goddess and died a few days later from a sudden illness.

Along with Pele, Hawaiian mythology also mentions Lilinoe is the goddess of the Muana Kea and Haleakala volcanoes. There are many tales about confrontation between Lilinoe and Pele, as a result of which occurred eruptions when Pele tried to subdue her opponent with the help of fire, But Lilinoe and her friend Poliahu always win, covering mountain tops covered with snow. Water from melting snow flows down the slopes, providing soil fertility and the life of the Hawaiians.

From point of view geology Mauna Kea is pre-shield volcano, which arose 1 million years ago, and survived the peak of their activity at the age of 500 thousand years. The last major eruption occurred about 4-6 thousand years ago. Today the volcano is considered inactive and as safe as possible. Mauna Kea is one of the five so-called hot spots of Hawaii. Among the five volcanoes it ranks fourth place in age and activity.

Ecologically, the volcano is divided into 3 belts — alpine belt, covered snow from November to March(previously there was almost snow at the peak all year round, which gave the name Mauna Kea - “White Mountain”). The summit of Mauna Kea is characterized by high level of solar radiation, very strong winds and quite low temperature. Second belt- forests that are thickets of Sophora goldenfolia and sandalwood. Sophora goldenfolia is legume tree found only in Hawaii. The lowest zone is acacia forests.

Since ancient times forest slopes the volcanoes gave the natives everything they needed for food, without disturbing the fragile ecological balance. But in the 18th century after appearance of Europeans on the island local nature ran into strong human pressure. The appearance of domestic animals, new plant species, not found in Hawaii, the cultivation of sugar cane - all these negative factors led to environmental disaster, displacement of local species of flora and fauna. To date, an unprecedented decision has been made to preserve the environment - eradicate introduced species of plants and animals. Among the surviving rare animals Mauna Kea can be noted wolf spider, which is capable of living at altitudes above 4200 meters and butterfly "Forest scarf", which has also adapted to survive in conditions cold highlands.

As in many other places of power, the economic use of Mauna Kea is carried out practically without taking into account the fact that for local population it is not just a mountain, but a sacred object of worship. This applies in particular construction on top of numerous scientific structures. It should be noted that Mauna Kea one of the best in the land of places for astronomical observations: clean air, low humidity, clear weather, proximity to the equator. Today at the top of the volcano there are 13 telescopes from 11 countries. Such a neighborhood has its advantages - the constant, scrupulous monitoring of the volcano’s activity by scientists is practically excludes its sudden eruption.

First confirmed ascent on Mauna Kea dates 1823- it was undertaken by a certain Josey Goodrich.

Today, thanks comfortable conditions — to the peak of Mauna Kea the road has been paved, suitable for SUVs, sacred mountain visit annually about 100 thousand tourists. In winter, when the snow is denser, it is common here skiing. The view from the top of Mauna Kea can be called stunning - many note that it one of the most beautiful on our planet.

Few people know that Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii, is considered higher than Everest. True, only the peak of this giant can be seen above sea level, since it protrudes from the water at 4205 meters. The rest of the mountain is hidden from view, so it is rare that this mountain is among the highest. Absolute altitude the peak is 10,203 meters, which exceeds Everest by more than a kilometer.

Mauna Kea - a dangerous volcano or a calm mountain?

The volcano is classified as a shield volcano due to its shield-like shape. In pictures the crater is not clearly expressed and most often looks like a caldera. This species appears due to frequent eruptions of liquid lava high temperature. The magma flow in this case covers the entire surrounding area and forms a slightly sloping slope.

Mauna Kea appeared a million years ago, and its peak activity ended 250,000 years ago. Currently, researchers classify it as extinct and set minimum values for the probability of awakening. Shield volcanoes It is typical to go through several stages:

pre-panel – occurs from the moment the hot spot is formed;
shield period – is the most active period;
post-shield – the form is finally formed, but the behavior is already predictable;
inaction.

Today it is the highest mountain in the world, most of which is under water. It is part of the Hawaiian archipelago and one of the most striking attractions of Hawaii. What makes Mauna Kea special is its snow cap, which is rarely seen in tropical climates. That is why the name appeared, meaning “White Mountain”.

Tourists come here not only to soak up the beach, but also to go skiing or snowboarding. The view from the mountain is stunning, so you can do beautiful photos or just take a walk around the surrounding area, because there are several nature reserves here due to the presence of dozens of endangered endemic species.

World Observatory

Since Hawaii is located close to the equator, the island turns into perfect place for astronomical observations. It is not surprising that the highest mountain in the world has become a real center for the study of celestial bodies. Mauna Kea is located far enough from the city that the lights are not likely to spoil the view, resulting in ideal atmospheric clarity.

Today there are 13 telescopes on the mountain from different countries. Among the most significant are the Keck Interferometer Telescope, NASA Infrared Telescopes and the Japanese Subaru Telescope. If you want to take a look at this large-scale center for astronomical research, you can connect to a webcam that allows you to watch the work of the observatories online.

Not everyone knows that Mauna Kea is famous for another record. Not only are telescopes from eleven countries gathered at the summit, but they are also located at the highest point, exceeding 40% of the atmospheric layer. At this altitude it is relatively dry, so no clouds form, which is ideal for year-round stargazing.

Flora and fauna of the giant mountain

Mauna Kea – amazing place, where there are several nature reserves. Each of them occupies a certain area depending on the height of the mountain. The summit is a rather aggressive environment with high illumination and solar radiation. This is an alpine zone characterized by low temperatures and strong winds.

The flora in this zone consists of perennial low-growing grasses, most of which are evergreen. In the Alpine Belt Nature Reserve, they are trying to monitor an endangered species of wolf spider, which chooses altitudes of more than 4,000 meters as its habitat. Forest scarf butterflies are also found here; they hide from the cold between the stones.

The second layer is occupied by a reserve protecting the Golden-leaved Sophora. These leguminous trees grow exclusively in Hawaii, but their population declined significantly after Europeans arrived on the island in the 18th century. Currently, the number of trees is 10% of the original forest size. The area of the reserve is estimated at 210 square meters. km.

The lower elevation of Mauna Kea is the third reserve, which is home to endangered species of plants and birds. Ecosystems have been severely damaged by imported cattle and sheep, as well as extensive clearing for sugar plantations. To preserve endangered species, it was decided to eradicate introduced species from the island.

White Mountain

The geological history of Mauna Kea is reflected in its legends. The main character in them is Pele. This creature is often called the goddess of fire and volcanoes, but this is not entirely accurate; Hawaiians classify Pele as a “kupua”, spirits with supernatural powers, messengers of the gods. In other words, kupua is approximately the same as an angel or demon among Christians and Muslims. There is a belief that the Cupua have descendants living among local residents. According to legend, one fine day Pele and her four friends: Lilinoe the mistress of the mists, Waioau, in whose power the underground waters (Waioau is the name of the lake on Mauna Kea), Kahoupokane, in charge of the springs, and Poliahu, the snow maiden, decided to go sledding from the cliffs (note: from the cliffs, there is no volcano yet!), and not just like that, but to organize a speed competition. It was unclear who won, but Pele declared that she was first, and the maidens began to quarrel. Kahoupokane stamped her foot in anger - and an earthquake began, Lilinoe shrouded everything in fog, Waioau released underground waters. Then Pele caused an underground fire that poured out hot lava. Poliakh owns the last point in this mythical-geological story: she was the first to reach the top of the fire-breathing mountain that rose from the ocean and covered it with snow. "Mauna Kea" means "White Mountain" in the local dialect. But Pele also did not give up and from time to time threw clumps of hot lava at her rivals, and then resigned herself. Everything is the same as in the geological history of the volcano: according to it, eruptions after the main cataclysm periodically repeated for some time, and then stopped. This happened approximately 6000-4000 years ago. Since then Mauna Kea volcano is in a dormant state, and it appeared in the late Pleistocene era (the Pleistocene ended about 12,000 years ago).
The Mauna Kea volcano is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest mountain on Earth (10,203 m), higher (8850 m according to the latest measurements). Many references to such a comparison can be found, but all of them are incorrect from the point of view of topographic measurements: the height of the mountain should be calculated from the surface of the earth, in this case from sea level, and not from the ocean floor. So Everest is Everest, and the true height of Mauna Kea is 4205 m.
Low humidity is ensured by the peculiarities of the volcano's topography. Due to the fact that its rocks constantly freeze and thaw, bands of fine-grained and coarse-grained rock material form, like streams flowing down the slopes of the cone. Along them, the melted water rushes to the foot of the volcano. Constantly moistened volcanic ash created fertile soil there. A tropical cloud layer, reaching about 600 m in thickness, is located below the peak and in turn insulates it from the penetration of humid sea air and air pollutants.
The upper level of Mauna Kea is figuratively called the kingdom of Aeolus (the god of the wind among the ancient Greeks). The wind speed at the top reaches 110 km/h. Solar radiation levels are high and oxygen levels are low. Here, in the alpine belt, only herbaceous perennials grow, spiders live, and among them the endemic wolf spider and the endemic forest scarf butterfly. Below begins a forest of shrubs or trees of the golden-leaved Sophora of the legume family, endemic to Hawaii. The current area of these forests has decreased by 10% from what was first determined in the 19th century. The area of these forests today is 212 km 2, they are declared protected areas. Starts below a tropical forest, where 8 species of endemic birds nest alone, and 12 species of plants, unique even for the endemic-rich flora of Hawaii.
The main attraction of Mauna Kea is its astronomical complex at the top: these are 13 scientific centers of 11 countries and, accordingly, 13 of the most advanced telescopes. The complex appeared on Mauna Kea in 1964, shortly after a road was built to the top. Conservationists of the volcano mountain have a number of serious arguments against the existence of observatories. Well, the most significant argument in favor relates to safety considerations: the most precise astronomical instruments will be the first to notice the slightest disturbance in the mouth of a volcano, and the fact that it may one day wake up is not at all excluded, according to volcanologists.

general information

One of the five volcanoes of the island of Hawaii. The other four are Mauna Loa, Kilauea, Hualalai, Kohala.
Type: panel.
Geographical position: Oceania, Hawaii island archipelago Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Affiliation: USA, Hawaii, the most high point state.
Climbing season: all year round.
Lake: Waioau.
Best season to practice alpine skiing and snowboarding: from late January to March.
Most important airport: international Airport Honolulu (Oahu island of the Hawaiian archipelago).

Numbers

Height: 4205 m.
Area of the island of Hawaii ( Big Island): 10,432.5 km 2.
Area of Mauna Kea: 2378.61 km 2 or 22.8% of the island's area.

Economy

Scientific research.
Tourism.

Climate and weather

Mountain (alpine).
Temperatures at the summit of Mauna Kea range from -4°C to +4°C during the winter months, but the winds make it feel much colder.
In the summer months, temperatures range from 0 to +15°C.
Average annual precipitation : on slopes - 800 mm, at the foot - up to 4000 mm.

Attractions

Waioau is one of the highest lakes in the world - it is located at an altitude of 3968 m.

Researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan reported in April 2012 that, working at the observatory on Mauna Kea, they had discovered the most distant cluster of galaxies from Earth. The distance to it is 12.7 billion light years. This is more than 70 million light years greater than the distance to the most distant cluster of galaxies known so far. The scientific significance of the discovery is that it may change the current view of the evolution of galaxies after the Big Bang.