USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update
HVO update page and observatory web site
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: At the summit, DI inflationary tilt and the lava lake level remained high. At Pu`u `O`o, there were no visible changes in the crater. Lava flows to the southeast of Pu`u `O`o on the coastal plain consisted of the newer breakouts advancing from the base of the pali. Seismic tremor levels were generally low; gas emissions were elevated.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The summit tiltmeters recorded DI inflation and, possibly, the start of the next DI deflation at about 6 am this morning although it is really too soon to call; however, the lava lake level remained high and did not respond to the possible tilt change this morning. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 500 tonnes/day on July 16, 2012. In addition to gas, very small amounts of ash-sized tephra continued to be carried out of the vent in the gas plume and deposited on nearby surfaces.
The GPS network recorded no significant changes (neither extension nor contraction) since mid-June; summit tilt records also showed no significant long-term trend. Seismic tremor levels have been slightly elevated since July 17th. Eleven earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea volcano: 2 deep beneath the lower southwest rift zone, 1 beneath Halema`uma`u Crater in the summit caldera, 2 within the upper east rift zone, and 6 on south flank faults.
Background: The summit lava lake is deep within a ~160 m (520 ft) diameter cylindrical vent with nearly vertical sides inset within the east wall and floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. Its level fluctuates from about 60 m to more than 150 m (out of sight) below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. The vent has been mostly active since opening with a small explosive event on March 19, 2008. Most recently, the lava level of the lake has remained below an inner ledge (60 m or 200 ft below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater on May 9, 2012) and responded to summit tilt changes with the lake receding during deflation and rising during inflation.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents: Breakouts resulting from the current DI inflation advanced onto the coastal plain and were more than 2 km (1.2 mi) from the ocean; this pattern of activity is closely tied to the sequence of deflation, which stalls advancing flows, and inflation, which starts new breakouts farther back on the tube system. There was no ocean entry.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded continued weak inflation along with a 0.1-microradian diurnal signal. At Pu`u `O`o, there were no significant changes: glow from the lava pond in the eastern collapse pit (7-8 m, or 23-26 ft, below its rim on July 12) and the two sources along the south edge of the crater floor were visible. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o remained low. GPS receivers on opposite sides of the cone recorded no contraction or extension since mid-June. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on July 13, 2012, from all east rift zone sources.
Background: The eruption in Kilauea's middle east rift zone started with a fissure eruption on January 3, 1983, and continued with few interruptions at Pu`u `O`o Cone, or temporarily from vents within a few kilometers to the east or west,. A fissure eruption on the upper east flank of Pu`u `O`o Cone on Sept. 21, 2011, drained the lava lakes and fed a lava flow that advanced southeast through the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision to the ocean within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in early December. Since late December, the flows have remained intermittently active on the pali and the coastal plain but have not entered the ocean. In general, activity waxes with inflation and wanes with deflation.
Hazard Summary: East rift vents and flow field - near-vent areas could erupt or collapse without warning with spatter and/or ash being wafted within the gas plume; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas may be present within 1 km downwind of vent areas. All recently active lava flows are within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, adjacent State land managed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and private property within the Royal Gardens subdivision; the lava flows do not pose a hazard to any structures not already within the County-declared mandatory evacuation zone. Kilauea Crater - ash and Pele's hair can be carried several kilometers downwind; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide can be present within 1 km downwind.
Viewing Summary: East rift zone flow field - Active lava flows within the closed-access Kahauale'a Natural Area Reserve (NAR) and the evacuated Royal Gardens subdivision can only be viewed from the air. Under favorable weather conditions, the flows can be seen from the County Viewing Area at Kalapana (Lava hotline 961-8093) and in the R2, R3, and R4 webcams. Pu`u `O`o Cone, the strip of coastal plain nearest the ocean within which the lava is now advancing, and Kilauea Crater - these areas are within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park; Park access and viewing information can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The summit tiltmeters recorded DI inflation and, possibly, the start of the next DI deflation at about 6 am this morning although it is really too soon to call; however, the lava lake level remained high and did not respond to the possible tilt change this morning. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 500 tonnes/day on July 16, 2012. In addition to gas, very small amounts of ash-sized tephra continued to be carried out of the vent in the gas plume and deposited on nearby surfaces.
The GPS network recorded no significant changes (neither extension nor contraction) since mid-June; summit tilt records also showed no significant long-term trend. Seismic tremor levels have been slightly elevated since July 17th. Eleven earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea volcano: 2 deep beneath the lower southwest rift zone, 1 beneath Halema`uma`u Crater in the summit caldera, 2 within the upper east rift zone, and 6 on south flank faults.
Background: The summit lava lake is deep within a ~160 m (520 ft) diameter cylindrical vent with nearly vertical sides inset within the east wall and floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. Its level fluctuates from about 60 m to more than 150 m (out of sight) below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. The vent has been mostly active since opening with a small explosive event on March 19, 2008. Most recently, the lava level of the lake has remained below an inner ledge (60 m or 200 ft below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater on May 9, 2012) and responded to summit tilt changes with the lake receding during deflation and rising during inflation.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents: Breakouts resulting from the current DI inflation advanced onto the coastal plain and were more than 2 km (1.2 mi) from the ocean; this pattern of activity is closely tied to the sequence of deflation, which stalls advancing flows, and inflation, which starts new breakouts farther back on the tube system. There was no ocean entry.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded continued weak inflation along with a 0.1-microradian diurnal signal. At Pu`u `O`o, there were no significant changes: glow from the lava pond in the eastern collapse pit (7-8 m, or 23-26 ft, below its rim on July 12) and the two sources along the south edge of the crater floor were visible. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o remained low. GPS receivers on opposite sides of the cone recorded no contraction or extension since mid-June. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on July 13, 2012, from all east rift zone sources.
Background: The eruption in Kilauea's middle east rift zone started with a fissure eruption on January 3, 1983, and continued with few interruptions at Pu`u `O`o Cone, or temporarily from vents within a few kilometers to the east or west,. A fissure eruption on the upper east flank of Pu`u `O`o Cone on Sept. 21, 2011, drained the lava lakes and fed a lava flow that advanced southeast through the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision to the ocean within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in early December. Since late December, the flows have remained intermittently active on the pali and the coastal plain but have not entered the ocean. In general, activity waxes with inflation and wanes with deflation.
Hazard Summary: East rift vents and flow field - near-vent areas could erupt or collapse without warning with spatter and/or ash being wafted within the gas plume; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas may be present within 1 km downwind of vent areas. All recently active lava flows are within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, adjacent State land managed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and private property within the Royal Gardens subdivision; the lava flows do not pose a hazard to any structures not already within the County-declared mandatory evacuation zone. Kilauea Crater - ash and Pele's hair can be carried several kilometers downwind; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide can be present within 1 km downwind.
Viewing Summary: East rift zone flow field - Active lava flows within the closed-access Kahauale'a Natural Area Reserve (NAR) and the evacuated Royal Gardens subdivision can only be viewed from the air. Under favorable weather conditions, the flows can be seen from the County Viewing Area at Kalapana (Lava hotline 961-8093) and in the R2, R3, and R4 webcams. Pu`u `O`o Cone, the strip of coastal plain nearest the ocean within which the lava is now advancing, and Kilauea Crater - these areas are within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park; Park access and viewing information can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm.
Update in Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) format
