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Mauna Kea ( or ; Hawaiian: [ˈmɐwnə ˈkɛə]; abbreviation for Mauna a Wākea) is an inactive volcano on the island of Hawaiʻi. Its peak is 4,207.3 m (13,803 ft) above sea level, making it the highest point in Hawaii and second-highest peak of an island on Earth. The peak is about 38 m (125 ft) higher than Mauna Loa, its more massive neighbor. Mauna Kea is unusually topographically prominent for its height: its wet prominence is fifteenth in the world among mountains, at 4,205 m (13,796 ft); its dry prominence is 9,330 m (30,610 ft). This dry prominence is greater than Mount Everest's height above sea level of 8,848.86 m (29,032 ft), and some authorities have labeled Mauna Kea the tallest mountain in the world, from its underwater base. Mauna Kea is ranked 8th by topographic isolation. It is about one million years old and thus passed the most active shield stage of life hundreds of thousands of years ago. In its current post-shield state, its lava is more viscous, resulting in a steeper profile. Late volcanism has also given it a much rougher appearance than its neighboring volcanoes due to construction of cinder cones, decentralization of its rift zones, glaciation on its peak, and weathering by the prevailing trade winds. Mauna Kea last erupted 6,000 to 4,000 years ago and is now thought to be dormant. In Hawaiian religion, the peaks of the island of Hawaiʻi are sacred. An ancient law allowed only high-ranking aliʻi to visit its peak. Ancient Hawaiians living on the slopes of Mauna Kea relied on its extensive forests for food, and quarried the dense volcano-glacial basalts on its flanks for tool production. When Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, settlers introduced cattle, sheep, and game animals, many of which became feral and began to damage the volcano's ecological balance. Mauna Kea can be ecologically divided into three sections: an alpine climate at its summit, a Sophora chrysophylla–Myoporum sandwicense (or māmane–naio) forest on its flanks, and an Acacia koa–Metrosideros polymorpha (or koa–ʻōhiʻa) forest, now mostly cleared by the former sugar industry, at its base. In recent years, concern over the vulnerability of the native species has led to court cases that have forced the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources to work towards eradicating all feral species on the volcano. With its high elevation, dry environment, and stable airflow, Mauna Kea's summit is one of the best sites in the world for astronomical observation. Since the creation of an access road in 1964, thirteen telescopes funded by eleven countries have been constructed at the summit. The Mauna Kea Observatories are used for scientific research across the electromagnetic spectrum and comprise the largest such facility in the world. Their construction on a landscape considered sacred by Native Hawaiians continues to be a topic of debate to this day. Topographic prominence Mauna Kea is unusually topographically prominent for its height, with a wet prominence fifteenth in the world among mountains, and a dry prominence second in the world, after only Mount Everest. It is the highest peak on its island, so its wet prominence matches its height above sea level, at 4,207.3 m (13,803 ft). Because the Hawaiian Islands slope deep into the ocean, Mauna Kea has a dry prominence of 9,330 m (30,610 ft). This dry prominence is taller than Mount Everest's height above sea level of 8,848.86 m (29,032 ft), so Everest would have to include whole continents in its foothills to exceed Mauna Kea's dry prominence. Given how much Mauna Kea protrudes from the Hawaiian Trough, some authorities have called it the tallest (as opposed to highest) mountain in the world, as measured from base to peak. Unlike prominence, base is loosely defined, which has resulted in numbers ranging from 9,966 m (32,696 ft) (roughly to the deepest point in the Hawaiian Trough) to 17,205 m (56,447 ft) (to the root of the mountain deep underground). On those examples, other mountains stake rivaling claims, such as Mount Lamlam claiming higher climb from base (11,528 m (37,820 ft), starting from Challenger Deep), and all of the Himalayan Mountains claiming tremendously deep roots. Greater rises could be measured from the Atacama Trench to the Andes Mountains, for example, the bottom of Richard's Deep (8,065 m (26,460 ft) deep) to the peak of the nearby Llullaillaco (6,739 m (22,110 ft) high) is 14,804 m (48,570 ft). Neither Mount Lamlam nor Llullaillaco have the dry prominence of Mauna Kea, because they do not extend into trenches in every direction. Geology Mauna Kea is one of five volcanoes that form the island of Hawaiʻi, the largest and youngest island of the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain. Of these five hotspot volcanoes, Mauna Kea is the fourth oldest and fourth most active. It began as a preshield volcano driven by the Hawaiʻi hotspot around one million years ago, and became exceptionally active during its shield stage until 500,000 years ago. Mauna Kea entered its quieter post-shield stage 250,000 to 200,000 years ago, and is currently active, having last erupted between 4,500 and 6,000 years ago. Mauna Kea does not have a visible summit caldera, but contains a number of small cinder and pumice cones near its summit. A former summit caldera may have been filled and buried by later summit eruption deposits. Mauna Kea is over 32,000 km3 (7,680 cu mi) in volume, so massive that it and its neighbor, Mauna Loa, depress the ocean crust beneath it by 6 km (4 mi). The volcano continues to slip and flatten under its own weight at a rate of less than 0.2 mm (0.01 in) per year. Much of its mass lies east of its present summit. It stands 4,207.3 m (13,803 ft) above sea level, about 38 m (125 ft) higher than its neighbor Mauna Loa, and is the highest point in the state of Hawaii.Like all Hawaiian volcanoes, Mauna Kea has been created as the Pacific tectonic plate has moved over the Hawaiian hotspot in the Earth's underlying mantle. The Hawaii island volcanoes are the most recent evidence of this process that, over 70 million years, has created the 6,000 km (3,700 mi)-long Hawaiian Ridge–Emperor seamount chain. The prevailing, though not completely settled, view is that the hotspot has been largely stationary within the planet's mantle for much, if not all of the Cenozoic Era. However, while Hawaiian volcanism is well understood and extensively studied, there remains no definite explanation of the mechanism that causes the hotspot effect.Lava flows from Mauna Kea overlapped in complex layers with those of its neighbors during its growth. Most prominently, Mauna Kea is built upon older flows from Kohala to the northwest, and intersects the base of Mauna Loa to the south. The original eruptive fissures (rift zones) in the flanks of Mauna Kea were buried by its post-shield volcanism. Hilo Ridge, a prominent underwater rift zone structure east of Mauna Kea, was once believed to be a part of the volcano; however, it is now underst.... Discover the Alton Pryor popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Alton Pryor books.
Best Seller Alton Pryor Books of 2024
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Modern Pirates
Alton PryorToday’s pirates are ruthless gangs of agile seagoing robbers who attack ships with assault rifles and antitank missiles.
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Little Known Tales in California History
Alton PryorA lost Spanish galleon still lies on the bottom of the Salton Sea, loaded with iron chests.Pegleg Smith's lost gold mine is still waiting for someone to find.Is Joaquin Murrieta on...
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The Strange Life of Howard Hughes
Alton PryorHoward Hughes was an obsessed man. He was obsessed with aviation and he was obsessed with sex, both conventional and bisexual. His relationships included some of the most famous na...
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The Real Story of Calamity Jane
Alton PryorCalamity Jane was a woman in a man's world. She could outswear, outdrink and outwork most men. She was wildly in love with Wild Bill Hickok, but he didn't return her amorous wishes...
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The Real Life of Judge Roy Bean
Alton PryorJudge Roy Bean determined the law to suit his fancy in his courtroom in the area of Texas west of the Pecos. He refused to hear appeals and his decision was final, if not always fa...
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Little Known Tales in Hawaii History
Alton PryorHawaii was no paradise. The history of Hawaii is turbulent and soul wrenching. The taboos placed on the commoners by the members of royalty would sometimes make the slavery that oc...
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Classic Tales in California History
Alton PryorWomen may have found gold in California a full year before James Marshal. Wheelbarrow Johnny started building wheelbarrows in Placerville and later became a national automobile tyc...
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The Real Story of John Wesley Hardin, The Meanest s.o.b. in the Old West
Alton PryorJohn Wesley Hardin killed for the joy of killing. He always felt he was persecuted for his Southern feelings. He deplored the black slaves of the south. He was also fast with a six...
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Elfego Baca, The Mexican Gunfighter
Alton PryorElfego Baca always wanted to be a lawman. At the age if 19, he obtained a mailorder sheriff's badge, appointed a friend or two as deputy sheriff's and concocted a method to clean t...
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The Other Side of the Mountain
Alton PryorIn its early days, The Owens Valley provided a refuge for the Paiute Indians who sought solitude from the white man that was intruding on California. Still, the white man eventuall...
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The Real Story of Bat Masterson
Alton PryorHe was a good lawman, but he sometimes worked both sides of the law to accomplish a goal. He was a masterful gambler, but his real bent in life seemed fulfilled when he became the ...
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The Real Story of Billy the Kid
Alton PryorThe most notorious outlaw that ever lived, and the one that lived the shortest. Billy was only 21yearsold when he was killed by a bullet fired by Pat Garrett. He was said to have k...
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Little Known Tales in Oklahoma History
Alton PryorOklahoma is a young state but its history goes back to the 1540s. Oklahoma Territory was originally planned as an area for the Five Civilized Tribes of Indians. Pressure from white...
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The Timeless Quotations of President Ronald Reagan
Alton Pryor"Government is the people's business, and every man, woman, and child becomes a shareholder with the first penny of tax paid" is only one of the striking quotes from the man that m...
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The Lawmen
Alton PryorLawmen of the old west played a juggling act as far as the law was concerned. The lawman had be both tougher and smarter than his outlaw counterpart or the outlaw would win. Most t...
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Flags of the United States
Alton PryorTells the history of how each of the State flags in the United States got their names and designs. This is an excellent book for youngsters studying American History.
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The Real Story of John C. Fremont
Alton PryorJohn Fremont was impetuous and rash in his decisions, one of which got him court martialed. Still he was credited with blazing passes that opened California for immigrants.
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Robert E. Lee, the Supreme Patriot
Alton PryorWith the exception of George Washington, the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870). Lee’s fame came in spite of the fact th...
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California and the American Civil War
Alton PryorCalifornia sent more volunteers to fight in the American Civil War than any other state in the Union. California sent about 17,000 men to fight in the Civil War. Volunteers fought ...
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The Real Story of the Apache Kid
Alton PryorThe Apache Kid was a respected member of the U.S. Army Scouts. He became embroiled in a melee that was unavoidable for him and two men were killed. He was threatened with ten years...
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Scandals and Scoundrels from the Old West
Alton PryorThere were scandals and scoundrels throughout the west. Consider the dance instructor that sued a cablecar company because an accident turned her into a nymphomaniac. She was award...
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Cowboys, The End of the Trail
Alton PryorEvery boy wants to be a cowboy, not realizing that a cowboy's life often goes down roads that would be better left untraveled. Still, even bankers, lawyers and congressmen, who onc...
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The Real Story of Butch Cassidy, Leader of the Wild Bunch
Alton PryorMaybe the most careful robbery planner of all the old west outlaws. He was adept at planning robberies of trains and banks that yielded big returns. He claims that he personally ne...
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Odd and Unusual Tales from the Old West
Alton PryorRead about the Seven Little Indians, who hardbitten mountain men could not bring themselves to put to death following an Indian battle. The reader will also find a story of the Hea...
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The Real Story of Wyatt Earp
Alton PryorWyatt Earp worked both sides of the law, whichever seemed to suit him. He always wanted to be a sheriff, but never got beyond the deputy status. He and his prostitute wife lived a ...
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The Real Story of David Jack, The Land King
Alton PryorDavid Jack literally stole thousands of acres of Mexican land grants given to Monterey by the previous Mexican governments. Monterey didn't have the money to satisfy the claims wit...
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Fascinating Women In California History
Alton PryorWomen were not only the first to find gold, but they were responsible for settling California. T
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The Bawdy House Girls
Alton PryorThe Bawdy House Girls were among the first at a new gold strike, ready to peddle their desirable ware to the sexhungry gold miners. Their lives in the gold camps were usually deplo...
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The Real Story of Kit Carson
Alton PryorKit Carson was the consummate American hero. He was a little man but could handle a big man's courageous feats. He was a mountain man that led such explorers as John C. Fremont acr...
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The Real Life of Jesse James
Alton PryorJesse James returned from the American Civil War and was branded as a criminal because he fought as a rebel on the side of the south. He rode into Lafayette, Missouri to turn himse...
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Robert E. Lee, the Supreme Patriot
Alton PryorWith the exception of George Washington, the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870). Lee’s fame came in spite of the fact th...
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El Muerto, The Headless Horseman
Alton PryorThe Headless horseman terrorized settlers, town citizens, outlaws and cowboys alike when they saw this creature roam the southwest Texas plains on a duncolored horse.
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Charles Lindbergh, The Rogue Aviator
Alton PryorCharles Lindbergh flew solo nonstop from New York to Paris and became a national hero. What many didn't know about this national hero was that he was an unfaithful husband. After f...
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The Memorable Quotations of President William Jefferson Clinton
Alton PryorPresident Bill Clinton was both controversial and insightful, both traits showing up in his many memorable quotations. He expounded on an infintite variety of topics.
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The Real Life of Amelia Earhart, The Feminine Flying Wizard
Alton PryorAmelia Earhart set a number of flying records in her outstanding career, but she wanted one more. She wanted to fly the circumference of the earth at the equator level. She and her...
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The Big Four Railroad Barons and Other Railroad Stories
Alton PryorThe Big FourCollis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford and Charles Crockerruled California government, both state and local, for thirty years. The Southern Pacific Railroad, ...
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The Ten Worst Wild West Outlaws
Alton PryorThe outlaws rampaged through the countryside, often killing, raping, or mutilating their victims. While all were finally captured, it sometimes took the wiles of the best western l...
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Words of Wisdom
Alton PryorA collection of good luck and bad luck adages that have been passed down for generations.
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Outlaws and Gunslingers
Alton PryorWestern outlaws terrorized the country during the 1800s and early1900s, robbing stagecoaches, banks, trains and merchants. Some became folk heroes. The west's fastest gun was not a...
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Little Known Tales in Nevada History
Alton PryorNevada is much more than casinos and sagebrush.It's history dates back to the ice age and its many ghost towns provide an adventure for the entire family. Do yourself a favor and t...