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19 September 2003
Breakouts continue on the flow field
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View southwest across the crater of Pu`u `O`o cone. Incandescence was visible in
the East Pond Vent and January vent during an overflight this afternoon. Lava
was "spitting up" in the East Pond Vent, but no lava
spilled over its rim. In the past week, several small flows from the
January vent built a small shield.
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| Left. Recent lava breakout in
the uppermost part of the Mother's Day flow about 2 km southwest of Pu`u
`O`o cone. The flow moved to the edge of an unburned forest at about
the 2400-foot elevation. Right. Aerial view of active flows
on Pulama pali. In the past week, the August 9 breakout has advanced down the pali
as a number of distinct fingers that widen the Mother's Day flow field eastward
more than 200 m. The terminus of the lowermost finger is at
the 800-foot elevation and has an `a`a crust that extends just
beyond the bottom edge of the photograph. |
13 September 2003
Lava on coastal flat
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| Left. Lava in Kohola arm of Mother's
Day flow on coastal flat near end of park trail. In background, Pulama
pali is capped by lava in August 9 breakout, which only became visible
from coast 3-4 days ago. This breakout has moved 4.9 km from point
where lava reached the surface near the head of the Mother's Day tube
during surge on August 9. Below August 9 breakout are several small
incandescent spots belonging to east-side lobe of main Mother's Day
flow. 0549. Right. Nearly vertical view of top of small lava
toe near visitor trail. Note stretched bubble walls. Toe is about
25 cm in long dimension. 0559. |
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| Left. Lava emerging from front
of inflating flow. Crust forming on lava grows quickly. Lava stream
is about 1.5 m long. 0604:56. Right. Same breakout (higher
magnification) 48 seconds later, showing how crust has almost completely
closed off lava, forming a small tube. 0605:44. |
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| Left. Folded and wrinkled crust
on active lava toe. Note that some folds and wrinkles are folded twice
and even three times. Width of view, 1.5 m. 0605. Right. Lava
gushing down steep slope. At base of slope, the lava spreads laterally
and starts to fold. Stretched bubbles and filaments of crust show
this lateral stretching. Gush is about 1 m wide. 0611. |
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| Left. Thin lobes of breakout glide
across flat top of earlier flow. Nearest lobe is about 10 cm thick.
0618. Right. Thin sheet of lava is inflating as it slowly
advances. Note rock chips picked up from surface and stuck in crust
of breakout. Breakout is about 15 cm thick. 0621. |
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| Two views of inflating toe taken 16 seconds
apart. Width of views, about 50 cm. Left. Note two rock chips
at top of incandescent lava just left of incandescent crack in crust
on toe. These chips have just been plucked from ropy surface of underlying
flow. Other chips on toe were picked up a little earlier. 0621:53.
Right. Same view as left image but cropped differently to
show more of inflating toe. Note that the two rock chips are now 2-4
cm higher than in left image, uplifted as toe inflated. Note also
that toe is advancing, and lava is falling into crack. 0622:09. |
12 September 2003
Lava cascades and gas-piston drainback
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| Left. Lava in easternmost tongue
of August 9 breakout falling into skylight in Episode 53 tube just
above Pulama pali. Width of skylight is 2 m.1138. Right. Lava
falling into skylight of older tube. 1141. |
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| Left. Lava falls forming drapery
of solid crust that stands as pillars in older skylight. Note that
tube continues behind the pillars, which are unsupported on all sides.
Height of pillars about 3 m. 1222. Right. Looking west-southwest
across crater of Pu`u `O`o. East Pond Vent is nearest fuming area.
Fresh dark lava flows issued from East Pond Vent and January vent
(just west of East Pond Vent) over past month. Next images were taken
from rim of crater looking southwest at East Pond Vent. |
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| Start of sequence of 6 images taken over
35 seconds, showing stages of gas-piston drainback. Left. Lava
welled out from East Pond Vent to form shallow pool. A gas piston
is interpreted to have lifted the lava to the surface, where it spilled
onto crater floor. Top of piston is just reaching surface and starting
to spatter. January vent is behind East Pond Vent. 1302:20. Right.
Spattering is well underway, and lava is just starting to drain back
into the vent, as shown by break in crust just behind highest part
of old cone at East Pond Vent 1302:30. |
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| Left. Still more vigorous spattering,
up to about 10 m high. A subsidiary source of spatter starts as crust
on lava pond breaks when lava flows back toward vent. Note flexible
plate of crust several meters across pushed upward and tilted by spatter.
1302:35. Right. Lava is now clearly draining back into vent,
as volume of gas once occupying vent has escaped during spattering.
1302:41. |
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| Left. Telephoto, showing cavity
into which lava is draining. 1302:46. Right. Drainback continues
but is slowing. 1302:55. |
2 September 2003
Weak cascades on Paliuli
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| Left. Small cascades of lava flow
down Paliuli from gentle slope above, with Holei Pali in background.
Edge of active flow burns vegetation near right side of image. Height
of Paliuli, about 10 m. 0552. Right. Another view of cascades
and flow below. Note that two other cascades have started in past
5 minutes. 0557. |
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| Left. Number of cascades has dropped
to two. Flow fed by cascades remains quite active. 0608. Right.
Another view of scene to left. Note developing branch from high on
cascade. 0610. |
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| Left. Cascades have nearly ended,
but flow continues to be active as lava is supplied via developing
tubes. Note fire near top of image. Pali is about 10 m high. 0614.
Right. Looking more westerly than in left image, showing lava
continuing to trickle down pali. 0617. |
Map of flows from Pu`u `O`o: 12 September 2003
Map shows lava flows erupted during 1983-present activity of Pu`u `O`o
and Kupaianaha (see
large map). Red colors, both dark and light, denote Mother's Day flow,
which began erupting on May 12, 2002 and continues to the present. The
darkest color represents flows active since January 21, 2003.
Most recent--and ongoing--activity has produced two flows, one along
western edge of flow field and one slightly farther east. Kohola flow,
along western margin, entered sea late on Valentine's Day to form short-lived
Kohola ocean entry. This flow shortened the road still more. Visitors
now can drive to Holei Sea Arch, 1.1 km from Kohola flow, and walk to
see flow. Breakouts have been visible in various parts of Kohola flow,
shifting from time to time across width and length of flow.
Other dark red flow is main active part of Mother's Day flow. Fed by
breakouts from lava tube in main Mother's Day flow, it advanced along
eastern margin of main flow and down Pulama pali and Paliuli. Western
of two forks below Paliuli dripped over sea cliff at Highcastle on May
19, 2003.
Lava from earlier, pre-January 21, 2003 Mother's Day flow (light red)
reached sea at West Highcastle early on July 19, at Wilipe`a early on
July 21, and at Highcastle on August 8. From near southwest base of Pu`u
`O`o, Mother's Day flow passes along west side of flow field and into
forest, where it started large wildfire in May that continued into late
July. By June 10, Mother's Day flow had reached base of Paliuli, the steep
slope and cliff below Pulama pali and just above coastal flat. At base
of Paliuli, Mother's Day flow abruptly spread laterally in series of small
budding flows to cover an area nearly 2 km wide, gradually moving seaward
until West Highcastle and Wilipe`a lobes finally reached water and started
building lava deltas. Activity at West Highcastle ended in early August,
but entry began soon thereafter at Highcastle, eventually burying tiny
kipuka of Chain of Craters Road. Wilipe`a entry died away slowly and had
ended by mid-August. Highcastle and neighboring Highcastle Stairs entries
ended on about August 23. For a time there were no active entries. Then
Wilipe`a was reactivated on September 3 but stopped in December. West
Highcastle likewise renewed activity on September 16-17, died away during
night of September 18-19, and returned soon thereafter to continue through
March 21. East arm of Mother's Day flow branched from Highcastle lobe
in late October and sent three fingers into ocean at Highcastle on November
15, West Lae`apuki on November 19, and Lae`apuki on November 20. Lae`apuki
entries had stopped by November 29. If this sounds like soap opera, the
truth is even more confusing than the simplified version of activity given
here.
Eruption-viewing opportunities change constantly, refer to the HVO home page for
current information. Those readers planning a visit to Kilauea or Mauna Loa volcanoes can get much useful
information from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
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