USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update
HVO update page and observatory web site
Activity Summary: Inflation and high lava lake levels continued at the summit and at Pu`u `O`o with moderate seismic activity in the upper east rift zone. Lava flows southeast of Pu`u `O`o continued to be weakly active on the coastal plain near the base of the pali. Seismic tremor levels were low, and gas emissions were elevated.
Recent Observations at Kilauea summit: Rise/fall events resumed last night around 9 pm, raising the lava level over the inner ledge several times overnight and, each time, it was terminated by the appearance of a spattering sink as the level dropped. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 400 tonnes/day on October 19, 2012; this low value was typical of reduced emissions during rise/fall events and will probably return to the higher background values when they cease. Although not measured today, a small amount of ash-sized tephra (mostly fresh spatter bits and Pele's hair) was carried out of the vent in the gas plume and deposited on nearby surfaces.
Summit inflation, as measured by a network of tiltmeters around the caldera, continued at a slow rate. The GPS network recorded extension across the caldera since early August with an increase in rate since the beginning of October. Seismic tremor levels remained generally low with drops to near zero during high lava levels followed by strong tremor bursts as the lava falls to its previous level. Sixteen earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea: 1 beneath the lower end of the southwest rift zone, 1 beneath the northeast edge of the caldera, 9 within the upper east rift zone, and 5 on south flank faults (including 5 deep offshore quakes).
Background: The summit lava lake is deep within an ~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 50 m to more than 200 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 surface level of the lava lake has remained below an inner ledge (~50 m or 165 ft below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater on October 9, 2012), sometimes rising to flood the ledge. The lake level responds to summit tilt changes with the lake receding during deflation and rising during inflation.
Recent Observations at the middle east rift zone vents: No significant changes for surface flows which continued to accumulate close to the base of the pali within the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision, with one branch extending seaward across the coastal plain and splitting to flow around mobile cam 3. This branch has not advanced significantly over the past week and remains about 1.7 km (~1 mile) from the shoreline. Minor flow activity also continued on the pali.
At Pu`u `O`o, activity remained elevated. The perched lava lake within the northeastern pit briefly overflowed its northern rim several times between 11 pm last night and this morning. Glow was seen from two source on the east and west side of the south pit and a minor amount of spatter was ejected from the small spatter cone near the north edge of the crater floor early this morning.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone continued to record weak inflation with a minor dip around midday. GPS receivers spanning the Pu`u `O`o crater have measured a small amount of extension since the beginning of October. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o were low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on October 15, 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 - The new breakout lava flows were within the closed-access Kahauale'a Natural Area Reserve (NAR) and the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision and can only be viewed from the air. Under favorable weather conditions, glow from these flows may be reflected in clouds which can be seen from the County Viewing Area at Kalapana (Lava hotline 961-8093). Pu`u `O`o Cone, the strip of coastal plain nearest the ocean, 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.
Recent Observations at Kilauea summit: Rise/fall events resumed last night around 9 pm, raising the lava level over the inner ledge several times overnight and, each time, it was terminated by the appearance of a spattering sink as the level dropped. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 400 tonnes/day on October 19, 2012; this low value was typical of reduced emissions during rise/fall events and will probably return to the higher background values when they cease. Although not measured today, a small amount of ash-sized tephra (mostly fresh spatter bits and Pele's hair) was carried out of the vent in the gas plume and deposited on nearby surfaces.
Summit inflation, as measured by a network of tiltmeters around the caldera, continued at a slow rate. The GPS network recorded extension across the caldera since early August with an increase in rate since the beginning of October. Seismic tremor levels remained generally low with drops to near zero during high lava levels followed by strong tremor bursts as the lava falls to its previous level. Sixteen earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea: 1 beneath the lower end of the southwest rift zone, 1 beneath the northeast edge of the caldera, 9 within the upper east rift zone, and 5 on south flank faults (including 5 deep offshore quakes).
Background: The summit lava lake is deep within an ~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 50 m to more than 200 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 surface level of the lava lake has remained below an inner ledge (~50 m or 165 ft below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater on October 9, 2012), sometimes rising to flood the ledge. The lake level responds to summit tilt changes with the lake receding during deflation and rising during inflation.
Recent Observations at the middle east rift zone vents: No significant changes for surface flows which continued to accumulate close to the base of the pali within the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision, with one branch extending seaward across the coastal plain and splitting to flow around mobile cam 3. This branch has not advanced significantly over the past week and remains about 1.7 km (~1 mile) from the shoreline. Minor flow activity also continued on the pali.
At Pu`u `O`o, activity remained elevated. The perched lava lake within the northeastern pit briefly overflowed its northern rim several times between 11 pm last night and this morning. Glow was seen from two source on the east and west side of the south pit and a minor amount of spatter was ejected from the small spatter cone near the north edge of the crater floor early this morning.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone continued to record weak inflation with a minor dip around midday. GPS receivers spanning the Pu`u `O`o crater have measured a small amount of extension since the beginning of October. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o were low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on October 15, 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 - The new breakout lava flows were within the closed-access Kahauale'a Natural Area Reserve (NAR) and the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision and can only be viewed from the air. Under favorable weather conditions, glow from these flows may be reflected in clouds which can be seen from the County Viewing Area at Kalapana (Lava hotline 961-8093). Pu`u `O`o Cone, the strip of coastal plain nearest the ocean, 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
