Hawaii hotspot
Hawaiian volcanoes are characterized by frequent rift eruptions, their large size (thousands of cubic kilometers in volume), and their rough, decentralized shape. Rift zones are a prominent feature on these volcanoes, and account for their seemingly random volcanic structure. The tallest mountain in the Hawaii chain, Mauna Kea, rises above mean sea level. Measured from its base on the seafloor, it is the world's tallest mountain, at ; Mount Everest rises above sea level. Hawaii is surrounded by a myriad of seamounts; however, they were found to be unconnected to the hotspot and its volcanism. Kīlauea has erupted continuously since 1983 through Puʻu ʻŌʻō, a minor volcanic cone, which has become an attraction for volcanologists and tourists alike.
Kauhakō Crater
Kauhakō Crater is a volcanic crater located in Kalawao County, Hawaii, United States. The crater was formed between 230,000 and 300,000 years ago, as the result of the eruption of volcano Pu'u' 'Uao. It is located in the center of the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the island of Molokaʻi, and has a diameter of by . Lake Kauhakō, located at the bottom of the crater, has the world's greatest depth-to-surface area ratio of a lake and is the fourth deepest lake in the United States. In 2011, the lake underwent an overturning event, causing hydrogen sulfide to float to the surface of the lake and lifeforms, including shrimp and plankton, to disappear.