USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update
HVO update page and observatory web site
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: A DI event is nearly complete. At the summit, a circulating, bubbling, and spattering lava pond surface was visible in a hole in the vent cavity floor deep beneath Halema`uma`u Crater floor; its level rose several meters covering the entire floor before dropping but remaining visible in the Overlook vent Webcam. 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 flows through tubes to the coast and is entering the ocean at two locations west of Kalapana.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The lava pond continued bubbling and circulating at its low level within a hole in the vent cavity floor deep beneath the vent rim (in the Halema`uma`u Crater floor) until 7:23 pm when it abruptly rose several meters, peaking and covering the entire floor at about 7:30 pm, then draining back into the hole nearly an hour later; the lava level in the hole remained higher than it was when the night started but lower than the 7:30 pm peak. Glow is visible from the Jaggar Museum Overlook. This morning, the dense white plume moves to the southwest through beautiful clear skies. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 800 tonnes/day on November 20, 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 weak inflation completing the most recent DI event. 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 a drop. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remained below background levels. Two earthquakes were 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 1,300 tonnes/day on November 21, below the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day. Very weak glow was again recorded from the crater last night.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o recorded the switch to DI inflation around 9:30 an yesterday and continued slow inflation. 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 flows 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 geologists found scattered surface flows over the coastal plain and at least one possible surface flow on the pali; a single entry at Waikupanaha and several at the west Waikupanaha location were active. GOES-WEST imagery showed thermal anomalies on the coastal plain suggesting continuing surface flow activity through dawn.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The lava pond continued bubbling and circulating at its low level within a hole in the vent cavity floor deep beneath the vent rim (in the Halema`uma`u Crater floor) until 7:23 pm when it abruptly rose several meters, peaking and covering the entire floor at about 7:30 pm, then draining back into the hole nearly an hour later; the lava level in the hole remained higher than it was when the night started but lower than the 7:30 pm peak. Glow is visible from the Jaggar Museum Overlook. This morning, the dense white plume moves to the southwest through beautiful clear skies. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 800 tonnes/day on November 20, 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 weak inflation completing the most recent DI event. 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 a drop. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remained below background levels. Two earthquakes were 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 1,300 tonnes/day on November 21, below the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day. Very weak glow was again recorded from the crater last night.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o recorded the switch to DI inflation around 9:30 an yesterday and continued slow inflation. 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 flows 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 geologists found scattered surface flows over the coastal plain and at least one possible surface flow on the pali; a single entry at Waikupanaha and several at the west Waikupanaha location were active. GOES-WEST imagery showed thermal anomalies on the coastal plain suggesting continuing surface flow activity through dawn.
Update in Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) format
