The Hawaiian Islands were formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean by tumultuous volcanic activity - this is still happening and is presently centred on the Big Island, Hawai'i. Mt Kilauea on the south-east side of this island remains active and has been spewing lava almost continuously since 1984. Put simply, Hawaii is moving steadily over a hot spot that lies beneath the Pacific Plate. To the west and more central to the island is the volcanic mass of Mauna Loa which rises just short of 13,700 feet; it has erupted only twice since 1950: once in 1975 for a day, and…