USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update
HVO update page and observatory web site
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: At the summit, DI inflation with a slow lava lake rise in level continued. At Pu`u `O`o, there were no significant changes in the crater or on its flanks. To the southeast of Pu`u `O`o, scattered lava flows were active on the coastal plain near the base of the pali. Seismic tremor levels were slightly elevated at the summit and low elsewhere. Gas emissions were elevated.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The summit tiltmeters continued to record DI inflation and the lava lake level continued to rise slowly. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 600 tonnes/day on August 22, 2012; this value was unusually high for an emission rate measurement made during a rise/fall event. Though not measured, small amounts of ash-sized tephra (spatter bits and Pele's hair) were almost certainly 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 although data processing difficulties prevented the posting of daily solutions. Seismic tremor levels remained slightly elevated. Eleven earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea volcano: 3 within the upper seismic southwest rift zone, 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: The overall vigor of flows southeast of Pu`u `O`o remained weak when viewed through Webcams, with scattered flow activity on the coastal plain more than 2 km (1.2 mi) from the coast. A satellite image acquired yesterday near noon showed lava flow activity in two locations - at the top of the pali and near the pali base. There was no ocean entry.
Incandescence at Pu`u `O`o was dominated by the two small pits on the crater floor. The long-lived northeastern one holds a small lava lake, and the new southern one may as well (though this has not yet been verified). The glowing spot at the base of the southeast flank of Pu`u `O`o, marking a collapse in the roof of the lava tube, was also bright.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded weak inflation, perhaps in response to the ongoing DI inflation at the summit, with weak deflation starting early this morning. 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 August 21, 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 continued to record DI inflation and the lava lake level continued to rise slowly. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 600 tonnes/day on August 22, 2012; this value was unusually high for an emission rate measurement made during a rise/fall event. Though not measured, small amounts of ash-sized tephra (spatter bits and Pele's hair) were almost certainly 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 although data processing difficulties prevented the posting of daily solutions. Seismic tremor levels remained slightly elevated. Eleven earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea volcano: 3 within the upper seismic southwest rift zone, 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: The overall vigor of flows southeast of Pu`u `O`o remained weak when viewed through Webcams, with scattered flow activity on the coastal plain more than 2 km (1.2 mi) from the coast. A satellite image acquired yesterday near noon showed lava flow activity in two locations - at the top of the pali and near the pali base. There was no ocean entry.
Incandescence at Pu`u `O`o was dominated by the two small pits on the crater floor. The long-lived northeastern one holds a small lava lake, and the new southern one may as well (though this has not yet been verified). The glowing spot at the base of the southeast flank of Pu`u `O`o, marking a collapse in the roof of the lava tube, was also bright.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded weak inflation, perhaps in response to the ongoing DI inflation at the summit, with weak deflation starting early this morning. 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 August 21, 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
