![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/images\/2017\/01\/big_island_hawaii\/16605839-1-eng-GB\/Big_Island_Hawaii_small.jpg\")
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\nThe volcanic landscape of the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago is pictured in this Sentinel-2A satellite image.\n<\/p>\n
\nLocated in the central Pacific Ocean, the islands, atolls and islets of Hawaii developed from a hotspot in Earth\u2019s mantle that leaked magma as the Pacific tectonic plate moved northwest, creating a trail of exposed rock.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe island pictured here is the southeastern-most island \u2013 and therefore youngest of the chain \u2013 and is volcanically active. We can clearly see the Mauna Loa volcano in the upper left with the darker remnants of lava flows down its gentle slopes. The other active volcano, K\u012blauea, can be seen smoking near the centre of the image. Both active volcanos sit within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.\n<\/p>\n
\nThroughout the image, the brown and black lava flows \u2013 the darker being younger \u2013 are interspersed with green forests and fields. The clouds in this very high-rainfall area are formed by trade winds from the northeast being blocked by the mountains in the middle of the ocean, which also leads to frequent heavy rainfall.\n<\/p>\n
\nOn the centre-right side of the image along the coast, we can see a plume of steam where lava flows into the ocean. The lava is seeping out of a fissure in a nearby lava lake and making its way into the ocean. Nearby, we can also see the discontinuation of a road, cut off by a lava flow.\n<\/p>\n