[willyone]

Asteroid? Hawaii is the most recent of the Hawaiian Islands formed by a hot spot where the earths crust is thin at the bottom of the Pacific. All the other Hawaiian Islands are in decline as there is no longer any volcanic activity renewing them. They have moved with the crust away from the vent. Midway was once a large Island in the Hawaiian chain. Not much left of it now.

[RightWhale]

Hawaii may be more than a thin spot in the crust. There is an overabundance of Helium 3 in the basalts, which appear to have come up all the way from the core. According to J. Marvin Herndon's article in the Aug. Discover magazine.

[cogitator]

Hawaii is the most recent of the Hawaiian Islands formed by a hot spot where the earths crust is thin at the bottom of the Pacific.

And next in line is the Loihi seamount.