USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update
HVO update page and observatory web site
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: A small collapse overnight enlarged a hole deep in the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent cavity floor revealing an active lava pond. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents remain elevated. Lava flows were active on the coastal plain. Lava was also flowing through tubes to the coast and entering the ocean at two general locations west of Kalapana.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: A small collapse last night around 11 pm enlarged one of the holes deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity exposing a roiling, bubbling, and spattering lava pond surface; the surface rises and falls slowly over the next 20 minutes, remains fairly steady, and then starts an episodic rising and falling sequence observed seven times before dawn's early light washed out the view. Stronger glow was visible after 11 pm at the Jaggar Museum Overlook. This morning, the dense white plume rises into morning fog, but appears to moving southwest. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 700 tonnes/day on November 18 - still elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Very small amounts of mostly ash-sized tephra continued to drop out of 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, recorded contraction starting at the beginning of November switching to extension after November 12th.
Seismic tremor levels remained at low values with values decreasing each time the lava pond surface rises in the vent cavity. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes also remained below background levels. Only one earthquake was strong enough to be located on south flank faults.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continued 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 an unusually low 800 tonnes/day on November 17, well below the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day; extended rainfall can temporarily diminish emissions. Very weak glow was again recorded from 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, 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 flowed through two tube branches to the coast, across State- and privately-owned land, and was entering the ocean at two general locations - Waikupanaha and west Waikupanaha 700 m (2,300 ft) to the west. Yesterday, HVO received pilot reports of a new `a`a flow on the pali which had stalled by the time geologists arrived in the afternoon; it was short (680 m or 2,200 ft long) and posed no threat. There were three minor entry points at the west Waikupanaha location and two robust ones at Waikupanaha. Last night, UHH geologists reported breakouts on the pali and small lava streams entering the ocean over cliffs in the west Waikupanaha area. GOES-WEST images contained strong thermal anomalies on the coastal plain suggesting active surface flows through dawn.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: A small collapse last night around 11 pm enlarged one of the holes deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity exposing a roiling, bubbling, and spattering lava pond surface; the surface rises and falls slowly over the next 20 minutes, remains fairly steady, and then starts an episodic rising and falling sequence observed seven times before dawn's early light washed out the view. Stronger glow was visible after 11 pm at the Jaggar Museum Overlook. This morning, the dense white plume rises into morning fog, but appears to moving southwest. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 700 tonnes/day on November 18 - still elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Very small amounts of mostly ash-sized tephra continued to drop out of 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, recorded contraction starting at the beginning of November switching to extension after November 12th.
Seismic tremor levels remained at low values with values decreasing each time the lava pond surface rises in the vent cavity. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes also remained below background levels. Only one earthquake was strong enough to be located on south flank faults.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continued 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 an unusually low 800 tonnes/day on November 17, well below the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day; extended rainfall can temporarily diminish emissions. Very weak glow was again recorded from 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, 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 flowed through two tube branches to the coast, across State- and privately-owned land, and was entering the ocean at two general locations - Waikupanaha and west Waikupanaha 700 m (2,300 ft) to the west. Yesterday, HVO received pilot reports of a new `a`a flow on the pali which had stalled by the time geologists arrived in the afternoon; it was short (680 m or 2,200 ft long) and posed no threat. There were three minor entry points at the west Waikupanaha location and two robust ones at Waikupanaha. Last night, UHH geologists reported breakouts on the pali and small lava streams entering the ocean over cliffs in the west Waikupanaha area. GOES-WEST images contained strong thermal anomalies on the coastal plain suggesting active surface flows through dawn.
Update in Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) format
