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16 July 2004
Point of eastern Banana lava delta
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| Left. Seafloor flow, first seen
yesterday, remains active this morning. View is from same place as
images of July 15 and at same magnification. 0530. Right. At
slightly less magnification, small explosion in progress from tip of
seafloor flow. Rock this side of point is same one visible in
yesterday's images. 0533. |
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| Left. Back to maximum
magnification, showing overhanging tip of point. 0536. Right.
Wider view of point, with nice striations in wave and swash. 0550. |
17 July 2004
Activity just southwest of point of eastern Banana lava delta
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| Left. Several breakouts and
ocean entries active just southwest of point of eastern Banana lava
delta. Glow also comes from entries on northeast side of point.
0523. Right. Predawn sky serves as backdrop for activity at
point of delta. 0534. |
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| Left. Small cascades of lava,
2-3 m high, enter water as other breakouts appear on delta. This
view sets scene for that of right image. 0542. Right. Burst
of spatter comes from entry just over top of point. Small explosions
such as this result from lava covering water, which flashes to steam
and expands explosively through the lava. 0543. |
18 July 2004
More activity just southwest of point of eastern Banana lava delta
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| Left. Activity just southwest of
point of eastern Banana lava delta. Lae`apuki in background. 0518. Right.
Similar but with wider lens. 0525. |
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| Left. Lava falls and other
breakouts create glow reflected by laze near point of eastern Banana
delta. 0530. Right. Person stands in harm's way on surface
of eastern Banana lava delta. Laze rises from ocean entry along
right edge of view. The delta could have collapsed a second after
this image was taken. Such are the risks taken by those who venture
onto its surface. |
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| Left. Two tumuli near point of
eastern Banana lava delta. Tumuli (singular, tumulus) form when lava
in tube is pressurized and inflates roof of tube. Sun glitters off
droplets of wave spray in lower right. 0611. Right. Laze
plume blows off point of delta in this view looking into sun. 0613. |
19 July 2004
Back to northeastern side of eastern Banana lava delta
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| Left. Lava pours off point of
eastern Banana delta. 0521. Right. Wider view, showing
stream headed underwater and destined to add to seafloor flow (see
right image below). Point of delta is hidden by glow from stream.
0526. |
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| Left. Rugged point now visible
as stream has stopped. 0532. Right. Remains of last week's
seafloor flow exposed during receding water. Note that it is still
active, with lava pouring from inside its crust. 0550. |
20 July 2004
Sunrise and lava
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| Left. Lava falls off point of
eastern Banana delta with backdrop of predawn sky. 0526. Right. Wider view.
0535. |
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| Left. Lava falls and small
breakouts. 0545. Right. Nice sunrise behind delta. Note tiny
arc of sun just appearing. Boat is dimly lit to right. 0556. |
21 July 2004
Upswing in activity at Banana delta
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| Left. Lava falls and cascades
midway between beach and point of eastern Banana delta, as viewed
from visitor overlook. 0520. Right. Other entries and their
reflections, viewed from same locality. 0529. |
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| Left. Small entries in
foreground about to be covered by wave. 0543. Right. Lava
flowing into water near beach bordering northeastern end of eastern
Banana delta. 0554. |
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| Left. Lava flow slowly moving
across black sand beach adjacent to eastern Banana delta. 0558. Right.
Breaking wave about to crash on lonely entry. 0607. |
22 July 2004
New flow on beach at eastern Banana delta
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| Left. Entries and glow from site
about halfway from point to beach of eastern Banana lava delta. Note
witch's crooked nose. 0528. Right. The nose remains in this
view panned a little to right to show more of the entry area. Lava
falls is about 3-4 m high. 0539. |
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| Left. New flow on beach in
foreground. This flow started to form yesterday morning and is
stagnant this morning. Dawning western sky forms backdrop. Note
incandescent breakout on surface of lava delta. 0550. Right.
Closer view of steaming new flow, with water on smooth black sand
beach formed in past two months. Point of delta has no lava--the
first time in weeks it has been barren. 0601. |
23 July 2004
Point comes back to life; Pu`u `O`o and environs
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| Left. Breakouts on surface of
eastern Banana lava delta, viewed from top of old sea cliff dating
from 2002. Glow indicates several places where lava pours into
water. Lighting eastern sky heralds sunrise, still about 40 minutes
away. 0517. Right. Streams of lava hurry to meet water along
northeastern side of lava delta, viewed from visitor overlook.
Leftmost stream is at point of delta, which was dead yesterday
morning. 0531. |
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| Left. Camera has pulled back
some to see context of right image above. Note lava entering the
water right at water level. 0537. Right. Reflections
from lava at point of delta. 0540. |
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| Left. Very similar to left image
above, but with greater magnification. As water comes in, lowest
entries become totally submerged, and a dark crust forms on the lava
owing to quenching against the water. As water recedes, dark crust
ruptures and lava spills out...over and over and over, with each
wave cycle. 0544. Right. Sunlight starting to illuminate
scene. 0604. |
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| Left. People in boat taking
video of lava streams on point of delta. 0608. Right. Sunlit
view of part of eastern Banana lava delta. Water washes onto beach
and around lava flow formed on July 21-22. Compare with images taken
at 0601 on July 22. Light color on delta is from minerals, including
sea salt, deposited on surface over time. 0610. |
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| Left. Unusual perspective of
western side of Pu`u `O`o. Just above center is Puka Nui Gap, almost
at level of crater floor. Just right of center are spatter cones in
West Gap. Dark lava flows erupted from the cones in past 9 months.
Red-brown tephra forms northwest flank of Pu`u `O`o; lines are foot
trails. 0850. Right. Cracks cutting south side of Pu`u `O`o.
This area is actively deforming and is monitored weekly. 1116. |
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| Left. Red-brown flow is moving
away from its vent atop PKK shield south of Pu`u `O`o. Large image
shows liquid lava near base of image. Flow has `a`a crust. 0904. Right.
Aerial view of eastern Banana lava delta, looking down and west.
Patchwork pattern results from numerous breakouts on surface of
delta in past several days. Part of rope barrier, behind which
visitors are supposed to stay, visible in upper right. Several
entries visible in large image. 0855. |
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| Left. Aerial view of collapse
pit atop Amalgamated Bend shield, developed on Mother's Day lava
tube south of Pu`u `O`o. Crusted lava visible in hole, at depth of
about 14 m. 0920. Right. Ground view of lava in pit of left
image. Crust is slowly overturning, and lava is welling up around
edges of sinking plates of crust. 1125. |
24 July 2004
Taking a chance, a BIG chance; Amalgamated Bend shield
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| Left. Looking east at breakouts
southwest of point on eastern Banana lava delta. One small lava
falls and glow from other entries provide foreground for predawn
sky. 0518. Right. Similar view but with longer lens. 0524. |
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| The next four images are of a
person unfamiliar with the danger of the lava delta (bench).
Wandering out in the darkness without reading about the danger, he
asked a couple of "kids" (his word) where to see lava and they told
him where to go, to a spot they had been minutes before. This was
the lava delta. The person followed that bad advice and put himself
in a position from which four others have never returned. Your
photographer spoke with the person afterward. He is probably like
many of you or your friends. Ignorant of the danger, he "went for
it" without taking the time to learn about where he was going.
Please, take that time, heed the warnings, don't go beyond the rope
barrier, and don't blindly follow those who might venture onto the
delta. Left. Suddenly a person appears in the
view, almost directly above the falls at the very edge of the delta.
He didn't stay here long, moving instead a little southwest, perhaps
for better perspective. 0524. Right. Here he is, 12 minutes
later, at new perch only a little safer than the original. 0536. |
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| Left. Still there, 8 minutes
later, as lava cascade emerges through the laze. 0544. Right.
Nearly ready to leave, 21 minutes after his arrival, he holds a
video camera as steam obscures easier shots. 0545. |
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| Left. Lava in collapse pit on
top of Amalgamated Bend shield along Mother's Day tube south of Pu`u
`O`o. Lava is at shallower depth than it was on previous day (see
images for July 23). Note that thin crust on lava pond has no large
wrinkle on left-hand surface. 0815:52. Right. Not quite 2
minutes later, a large wrinkle has developed on thin crust, as lava
circulates below crust. 0817:42. |
25 July 2004
A nice Sunday morning at the seashore
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| Left. Several lava streams along
northeastern side of eastern Banana delta. This activity is greater
than during most of last week. Last week's beach flow is in
foreground. 0556. Right. The show at night. Quite a scene.
Each entry stream is a small breakout from multiple lava tubes
within the delta. 0521. |
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| Left. Small "firehose" from
jutting point prominent in right image above. Note shower of water
falling along hose after latest wave. Height of hose in this view,
about 2 m. 0525. Right. Similar view but with wider lens and
between waves. 0539. |
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| Left. Crashing surf provides
tough job for lava to build the delta larger. 0550. Right.
Wider view of waves crashing against delta. Each crash removes parts
of the delta. Each stream of lava adds them back. So it goes. Back
and forth. Lava wins in the short term, water in the long. 0559. |
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| Left. Activity is a little muted
now compared with 15 minutes ago, but this is temporary. 0604 Right.
Many water falls, and one lava falls, off side of delta. 0607. |
26 July 2004
Lava entries and breakouts
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| Left. Gushing lava stream pours
into water from northeastern side of Banana delta. Stream is a
couple of meters wide. Viewed from visitor overlook. 0521. Right.
A number of entries adorn side of lava delta, constantly changing in
intensity and location. 0539. |
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| Left. Breakout on surface of
Banana delta has several fingers. One shown here along right side of
image is moving across southern part of last week's beach flow.
0551. Right. Interplay of water and lava streams as sun
comes up. 0556. |
27 July 2004
Gorgeous morning at Banana delta; DID breakouts near Pu`u `O`o
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| Left. Many streams of lava pour
into water off northeastern side of eastern Banana delta. 0516. Right.
View of lava falls from near point on lava delta. Height of visible
part of falls, about 4 m. 0523. |
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| Left. Wide view of active part
of Banana delta. Solitary rock on beach has been stranded as erosion
has removed front of last week's beach flow. 0531. Right. View similar to that at 0516
but after activity was waned. Note that nearest part of delta has no
lava spilling from it as at 0516. 0540. |
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| Left. Aerial view of East Pond
Vent, easternmost spatter cone in crater of Pu`u `O`o. Note small
flows that have come from vent in recent weeks. 1531. Right.
Small flow, shiny, that apparently erupted during the
deflation-inflation-deflation (DID) event that started this morning.
Location is south base of Pu`u `O`o, whose cracked and slumped flank
is visible at top of image. 1536. |
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| Left. Ground view of lava flow
that issued from PKK tube about 200 m northeast of Cookie Monster
hornito. This tube had not been active for some time. 1652. Right.
Lava welling from crest of newly forming Rainbow shield, on
southwest flank of PKK shield, with Pu`u `O`o in background. This
activity is related to today's DID event, when magma entered Pu`u
`O`o's shallow reservoir, overpressurized it (causing the
inflation), and broke out of the PKK lava tube. 1711. |
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| Left. How Rainbow shield got its
name. View looks east, down Kilauea's east rift zone. 1751. Right.
Aerial view of breakout point for flows forming Rainbow shield.
1712. |
28 July 2004
Light and lava at Banana delta
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| Left. Note the slender,
graceful(?) stream of lava dropping 3-4 m into the water. 0623. Right.
More robust streams along the northeastern front of Banana delta.
0631. |
29 July 2004
Dark and light at Banana delta
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| Left. Lava pours into water at
and near point on eastern Banana delta. 0544. Right. Similar
view to that in left image, more highly magnified, showing changed
apparent color of lava as light comes on. Lava typically appears
more orange in the dark and more red in the light. This is a
transitional color. 0604. |
30 July 2004
Four moods of same scene; East Pond Vent and PKK skylight
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| Left. Predawn view of lava
entering sea on eastern Banana delta. Largest entry is at point of
delta. This image was taken just after a gush of lava appeared on
the point, greatly enlarging the previous smallish entry. 0532. Right.
Only 6 minutes later, light is increasing in the rapidly developing
tropical dawn. Activity at point has declined, but narrow lava falls
continues unchanged. 0538. |
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| Left. Still lighter, and lava
falls is weakening. 0547. Right. Another gush transforms the
entry at the point, as a wave crashes against the lava falls. 0550. |
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| Left. East Pond Vent, on floor
of Pu`u `O`o's crater. Note the tiny, relatively recent lava flows
that have spilled from the vent. This vent can be seen in the near
real-time images of Pu`u `O`o (see top of page). 1301. Right.
Low-level aerial view of East Pond Vent. East Spillway of crater in
foreground. Site of video camera is in upper left, distorted by heat
shimmer from vent. 1258. |
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| Left. New--and
treacherous--skylight formed above PKK lava tube. Skylight is about
5 m by 4 m across. 1322. Right. Ground view of this
skylight, from which sample of lava was hauled. Note bizarre,
fishhook-shaped piece of spatter hanging from roof of tube just
beyond upper left corner of skylight. 1258. |
Map of flows from Pu`u `O`o: 21 May 2004
Map shows lava flows erupted during 1983-present activity of Pu`u `O`o
and Kupaianaha (see
large map).
Shades of red denote Mother's Day flow, which began erupting on
May 12, 2002 and continues to the present. Darkest shade indicates lava
flows erupted in November 2003-21 May 2004, including the labeled Banana
flow, which developed gradually starting in the middle of April. Yellow stars indicate
centers of formerly active, but now dead, rootless shields built along lava tube in
Mother's Day flow. Yellow shade indicates Kuhio (Prince Kuhio
Kalaniana`ole) flow, active most of the time from March 20 to May 21. As of
May 21,
most activity was located south of the rootless shield complex in the
Banana flow,
fed by the Banana branch of the Mother's Day tube. The Kuhio flow
remains active, too.
Through September and into early October 2003, lava was moving along
the east and west sides of the Mother's Day flow. The east-side lava
(known as the August 9 breakout) came from the August 9 rootless shield,
itself fed by the main Mother's Day tube from Pu`u `O`o. The west side
lava, known as the Kohola arm of the Mother's Day flow, branched off the
tube system below the rootless shield.
In early October 2003, the August 9 breakout stopped moving, the Kohola
died back to a trickle, and the one labeled rootless shield gained
prominence. By October 16, however, the shield had partly collapsed,
leaving several drained perched ponds behind. Upstream from the shield,
many hornitos and small flows formed over the Mother's Day tube. Soon
thereafter, other rootless shields began to form over the Mother's Day,
August 9, and Kohola tubes.
New vents opened at the southern base of Pu`u `O`o on January 19 and
fed Martin Luther King (MLK) flows, which remained active until March 5.
Several small vents formed during this time. On March 20, Prince Kuhio
Kalaniana`ole (PKK) flow originated from two vents, main one about 250 m
south of base of Pu`u `O`o. This flow has remained active most of the
time to the May 21 date of this map.
The Banana flow developed from breakouts from the Mother's Day lava
tube, centered near the former Banana Tree kipuka. The breakouts become
prominent in the middle of April, and lava started down Pulama pali
shortly thereafter. This is the time that we assigned the name Banana to
the flow.
Vents in West Gap Pit became active in early October, were quiet for
3 weeks, and then resumed intermittent activity that continued well into
December. Other vents were also sporadically active in Puka Nui (near West Gap Pit)
and in the crater of Pu`u `O`o.
Map of Pu`u `O`o and vicinity: 9 April 2004
Map shows vents, lava flows, and other features near Pu`u `O`o frequently referred to in updates (see
large map). These features change often, but this map should help
those viewers lost in the terminology. The cones in West Gap are just
outside the boundary of the crater--the oval shaped depression
containing the seven numbered vents (now down to 6, as Humble Vent has
been buried by a mound of lava flows erupted from Dave's Pit/Vent in
March. Red color denotes flows--the
Mother's Day flows--erupted since May 12, 2002. Light orange color indicates
episode-55 flows erupted between March 1997 and August 2002 (exclusive
of Mother's Day flows). Darker orange represents MLK flows, and yellow,
PKK flow. Vents for these two sets of flows shown by indicated symbols. Gray shows flows of earlier episodes.
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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