• Transitions: What's next for HVO and the volcanoes it monitors?
• Living with earthquakes in HAWAII
• What's happening at KILAUEA Volcano's summit?
• What can lava tell us? Deciphering KILAUEA's 2018 eruption through chemistry
• KILAUEA lower East Rift Zone 2019: quiet but insightful
• Seismicity of the 2018 KILAUEA Volcano eruption
• What will you do when Earth's largest active volcano erupts?

On June 18, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff said a sad goodbye to a GPS instrument that had faithfully recorded over 95 m (310 ft) of downward motion of the floor of KILAUEA caldera before losing radio contact. The GPS instrument, called NPIT, first started moving downward in early May at the onset of subsidence at KILAUEA's summit. However on June 8, NPIT's motion picked up dramatically. This was when a portion of the caldera floor north of Halema'uma'u, where NPIT was located, began to slump into the crater. Over the next ten days NPIT GPS recorded down-dropping of 6-8 m (20-25 ft) with each summit explosion event, which have been occurring almost every day. This, together with earlier displacements, added up to a position change of 95 m down, 55 m south, and 5 m east (310 ft, 180 ft, and 16 ft, respectively).

These data provide unique insight into the crater collapse process, showing us that it is occurring as a series of steps instead of as continuous motion. Drone and helicopter views confirm that NPIT is still intact and likely still recording data. Unfortunately, the large motions have now resulted in a misalignment of the radio shot between the instrument and the observatory, cutting off communication and therefore data flow from the GPS station.

At about the same time that we lost the ability to contact NPIT, HVO staff completed work to add telemetry to two temporary GPS stations on the caldera floor. These two stations, called CALS and VO46, are not located on actively slumping portions of the caldera floor and therefore do not show the dramatic downward motion that NPIT did. However, they reveal that even portions of the caldera floor away from active slumping are moving downward very quickly; by as much as 1.0 m per day (3.3 feet per day) at station CALS. The data from these new stations can be viewed on the deformation page for KILAUEA.

Volcanic Activity Summary: The steady lowering of the lava lake in "Overlook crater" within HALEMAUMAU at the summit of KILAUEA Volcano has raised the potential for explosive eruptions in the coming weeks. If the lava column drops to the level of groundwater beneath KILAUEA Caldera, influx of water into the conduit could cause steam-driven explosions. Debris expelled during such explosions could impact the area surrounding HALEMAUMAU and the KILAUEA summit. At this time, we cannot say with certainty that explosive activity will occur, how large the explosions could be, or how long such explosive activity could continue.

Residents of the KILAUEA summit area should learn about the hazards of ashfall, stay informed of the status of the volcano and area closures, and review family and business emergency plans.

Resource on volcanic ash hazards: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/

HAZARDS
Primary hazards of concern should this activity occur are ballistic projectiles and ashfall.

BALLISTIC PROJECTILES
During steam-driven explosions, ballistic blocks up to 2 m (yards) across could be thrown in all directions to a distance of 1 km (0.6 miles) or more. These blocks could weigh a few kilograms (pounds) to several tons.

Smaller (pebble-size) rocks could be sent several kilometers (miles) from HALEMAUMAU, mostly in a downwind direction.

ASHFALL
Presently, during the drawdown of the lava column, rockfalls from the steep enclosing walls of the Overlook crater vent impact the lake and produce small ash clouds. These clouds are very dilute and result in dustings of ash (particles smaller than 2 mm) downwind.

Should steam-driven explosions begin, ash clouds will rise to greater elevations above ground. Minor ashfall could occur over much wider areas, even up to several tens of miles from HALEMAUMAU. In 1924, ash may have reached as high as 20,000 feet above sea level. Small amounts of fine ash from these explosions fell over a wide area as far north as North Hilo (Hakalau), in lower Puna, and as far south as Waiohinu.

GAS

Gas emitted during steam-drive explosions will be mainly steam, but will include some sulfur dioxide (SO₂) as well. Currently, SO₂ emissions remain elevated.

WARNING TIME
Steam-driven explosions at volcanoes typically provide very little warning. Once the lava level reaches the groundwater elevation, onset of continuous ashy plumes or a sequence of violent steam-driven explosions may be the first sign that activity of concern has commenced.

• daily KILAUEA eruption updates,
• weekly Mauna Loa updates,
• monthly updates for HUALALAI, HALEAKALA, and Mauna Kea,
• Status Reports about volcanic activity during ongoing events,
• Volcano Activity Notices if/when significant events or changes in volcanic activity or alert levels occur, and
• Information Statements to provide additional information or explanations of non-volcanic events on an "as needed" basis.

You can choose the types of notifications that you wish to receive—all of them or just some of them. You can also select the volcanoes you want to hear about—you can choose HAWAII only, or volcanoes in other states as well.

For more information about these types of notifications, please see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/notifications.html.

The lava lake at the summit of KILAUEA is one of several persistent lava lakes on Earth. Its accessibility allows frequent direct observations, and a robust monitoring network closely tracks subtle changes at the summit. These conditions present one of the best opportunities worldwide for understanding persistent lava lake behavior and the geophysical signals associated with open-vent basaltic eruptions.

This new USGS Scientific Investigation Report describes 2016 lava lake activity, including lake surface textures and appearance, surface motion, explosions, outgassing and most aspects of the spattering behavior. Read more in Lava lake activity at the summit of KILAUEA Volcano in 2016.

For the 10th anniversary of KILAUEA Volcano's summit eruption, USGS–Hawaiian Volcano Observatory research geologist Matt Patrick talks about his work monitoring the lava lake in the Halema'uma'u Crater. Dr. Patrick describes the explosion that created the lava lake in 2008 and points out features of the lake including the moving crustal plates, gas bursts, spatter, and collapse scars on the crater rim. Dr. Patrick also discusses hazards near the lake, such as explosions of gas and spatter, and volcanic gases, and the types of protective clothing worn by scientists who enter the closed area near the lake to collect daily lake level measurements.

View the video USGS Scientist Talks About Lava Lake in Halema'uma'u Crater or download the video from the USGS Multimedia Gallery.

Painters of early Hawaiian volcano landscapes created art that formed a cohesive body of work known as the "Volcano School." Jules Tavernier, Charles Furneaux, and D. Howard Hitchcock were probably the best known artists of this school and their paintings can be found in galleries around the world.

Many of these masterpieces are preserved in the Museum and Archive Collection of HAWAII Volcanoes National Park. In this new USGS Open-File Report, the artwork is matched with the approximate date and volcanological context of the scene, showing eruptions at KILAUEA and Mauna Loa in the late 19th century. While art does not depict scenes with perfect fidelity, the detail, scope, and vivid colors portrayed by artists of the time still moves and informs. For these reasons, volcano art from this period continues to be used in modern USGS publications and is a subject of interest for volcano scientists. Learn more about the events behind the art in Volcano Art at HAWAII Volcanoes National Park—A Science Perspective.

Volcanic Air Pollution Hazards in Hawaii is an updated fact sheet that provides information on the science of Kīlauea's volcanic air pollution, known as "vog." It also addresses impacts to human health, agriculture, infrastructure, and the environment, and guides readers to relevant resources for living with vog.

Noxious sulfur dioxide gas and other air pollutants emitted from KILAUEA Volcano on the Island of HAWAII react with oxygen, atmospheric moisture, and sunlight to produce volcanic smog (vog) and acid rain. U.S. Geological Survey scientists, along with health professionals and local government officials are working together to better understand vog and to enhance public awareness of this hazard.

This 24-minute USGS video recounts the eruptive history of HALEMAUMAU and tells the story of

The new video documentary is published as USGS General Interest Publication 182, and is available on the USGS Youtube channel.

January 2018 is the 9th annual "Volcano Awareness Month" on the Island of HAWAII. With two ongoing eruptions on KILAUEA and an inflating Mauna Loa, awareness is essential for us to live in harmony with the active volcanoes that are our island home.

During the month of January, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, in cooperation with HAWAII Volcanoes National Park, HAWAII County Civil Defense, and the University of HAWAII at Hilo will offer several programs about the volcanoes on which we live:

"At-a-Glance" Schedule

Program details:
• "After Dark in the Park" talks
• Mauna Loa Community Programs
• Hilo
• Ocean View
• South Kona
• Lyman Museum talks

Lava flows from Mauna Loa volcano, on the Island of HAWAII, constitute a significant hazard to people and property. This report addresses those lava flow hazards, mapping 18 potential lava inundation zones on the island.

Published as USGS Scientific Investigations Map 3387, it is now available online, and includes an index map (shown here), nine inundation zone maps, and a pamphlet that provides guidance on how to interpret the maps.

The probability of a destructive earthquake (magnitude-6.5 or higher) striking the Hawaiian Islands in the next 10 years is 50 percent. Are you ready for it?

We encourage you to participate in the Great Hawaii ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:19 a.m., HST, on October 19, 2017.

This drill is a great opportunity to practice "Drop! Cover! Hold on!"—actions that will reduce injury during an earthquake.

"Earthquakes in Hawaii: What you need to know" is a slide show about Hawaii's long history of damaging earthquakes and what you can do to protect yourself and your family when the next one happens.

For more info on how to minimize the risk of injury during an earthquake, go to: "Recommended Earthquake Safety Actions in Hawaii."

Co-editors Jim Kauahikaua and Janet Babb recently published Conversing with Pelehonuamea—A workshop combining 1,000+ years of traditional Hawaiian knowledge with 200 years of scientific thought on KILAUEA volcanism.

Events surrounding volcanic eruptions and damaging earthquakes in HAWAII have often been described in journals, letters, and newspapers articles in the English language; however, many

These proceedings are transcripts of oral presentations (illustrated with PowerPoint slides or charts) that were collected during a workshop in which Hawaiians and scientists came together to discuss KILAUEA volcanism. The presentations provide excellent introductions to Pelehonuamea chants, describe approaches to scientific field work that respects Hawaiian values and sacred areas, and discuss the importance of recovering and preserving Hawaiian place names.

Authors Trusdell and Lockwood published Geologic map of the northeast flank of Mauna Loa volcano, Island of Hawai‘i, Hawaii. This map refines knowledge of hazards and risks from Earth's largest active volcano. It encompasses the northeast flank of Mauna Loa from the 10,880-ft elevation to sea level, including the towns of Hilo and Volcano. The map shows the distribution of 105 lava flows from more than 30,000 years B.P. to A.D. 1984.

On March 19, 2008, a new volcanic vent opened in HALEMAUMAU at the summit of KILAUEA. Nine years later, the eruption continues. The vent has grown to a gaping crater that's roughly 195 m by 255 m (about 640 x 840 ft) in size. A lava lake within the vent rises and falls, with spattering on the lake surface sometimes visible from the Jaggar Museum Observation Deck. HVO geologist Matt Patrick recently presented an HAWAII Volcanoes National Park "After Dark in the Park" program about this ongoing eruption.