USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update
HVO update page and observatory web site
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: Early this morning, part of the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent cavity floor collapsed revealing a circulating lava pond surface. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents remain elevated. Lava flows are active on the coastal plain. Lava is also flowing through tubes to the coast and entering the ocean at two locations west of Kalapana.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The Overlook vent webcam images again showed fluctuating glow and spattering from several holes deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity; just after 3 am, the floor between two of the holes collapsed leaving an elongate opening; just before 6 am, more of the floor collapsed to reveal a circulating and spattering lava pond below. Glow from the vent was visible from Jaggar Museum overnight. This morning, a wispy off-white plume is moving southwestward over the Ka`u Desert. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 800 tonnes/day on October 30, which is elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Small amounts of ash-sized tephra, including a small amount of fresh broken spatter bits and Pele's hair, continued to be dropped from the plume near the vent.
The summit tiltmeter network recorded no significant ground tilting. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, has recorded little net deformation since mid-August.
After several hours of episodic tremor bursts, tremor amplitudes doubled and remained steady until they dropped just after 3 am simultaneous with the first Halema`uma`u Overlook floor collapse (see above); seismic rockfall signatures were recorded during the second vent cavity floor collapse. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes increased early this morning but were still below background levels. Nine earthquakes were strong enough to be located - five beneath the summit caldera and four on south flank faults.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o crater before erupting from the TEB vent, located 2 km to the east. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,440 tonnes/day on October 16, which is close to the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day. Weak glow was recorded from the east wall of the crater last night.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o recorded no significant ground tilting. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, has recorded continued slow contraction of the cone, amounting to almost 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels at Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.
Lava flows from the TEB vent through two tube branches to the coast, across State- and privately-owned land, and is entering the ocean at two locations - Waikupanaha and a site 700 m (2,300 ft) to the west (west Waikupanaha). Yesterday, HVO geologists reported inactive flows near the Public Viewing Area trail head and active surface flows on the coastal plain feeding the west Waikupanaha entry. Last night just before 7 pm, CD officials reported that surface flows reactivated about 300 m (1,000 ft) west of the Public Viewing Area trail head. GOES-WEST thermal anomalies were again strong through dawn indicating continuing surface flow activity on the coastal plain.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The Overlook vent webcam images again showed fluctuating glow and spattering from several holes deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity; just after 3 am, the floor between two of the holes collapsed leaving an elongate opening; just before 6 am, more of the floor collapsed to reveal a circulating and spattering lava pond below. Glow from the vent was visible from Jaggar Museum overnight. This morning, a wispy off-white plume is moving southwestward over the Ka`u Desert. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 800 tonnes/day on October 30, which is elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Small amounts of ash-sized tephra, including a small amount of fresh broken spatter bits and Pele's hair, continued to be dropped from the plume near the vent.
The summit tiltmeter network recorded no significant ground tilting. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, has recorded little net deformation since mid-August.
After several hours of episodic tremor bursts, tremor amplitudes doubled and remained steady until they dropped just after 3 am simultaneous with the first Halema`uma`u Overlook floor collapse (see above); seismic rockfall signatures were recorded during the second vent cavity floor collapse. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes increased early this morning but were still below background levels. Nine earthquakes were strong enough to be located - five beneath the summit caldera and four on south flank faults.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o crater before erupting from the TEB vent, located 2 km to the east. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,440 tonnes/day on October 16, which is close to the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day. Weak glow was recorded from the east wall of the crater last night.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o recorded no significant ground tilting. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, has recorded continued slow contraction of the cone, amounting to almost 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels at Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.
Lava flows from the TEB vent through two tube branches to the coast, across State- and privately-owned land, and is entering the ocean at two locations - Waikupanaha and a site 700 m (2,300 ft) to the west (west Waikupanaha). Yesterday, HVO geologists reported inactive flows near the Public Viewing Area trail head and active surface flows on the coastal plain feeding the west Waikupanaha entry. Last night just before 7 pm, CD officials reported that surface flows reactivated about 300 m (1,000 ft) west of the Public Viewing Area trail head. GOES-WEST thermal anomalies were again strong through dawn indicating continuing surface flow activity on the coastal plain.
Update in Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) format
