Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 14.2: Update on the current eruption of Kīlauea
In my last post I have reported on the current fissure eruptions of Kīlauea on the Island of Hawai’i. Eruptive activity has continued and I want to give an update on the current situation.
lava from a fissure slowly advanced to the northeast on Hoʻokāpu Street in Leilani Estates subdivision on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone.
commons.wikimedia.org
Eruption of lava and gas continues at along Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone within the Leilani Estates subdivision.
Multiple new fissures have opened and the count is currently at 10. On the afternoon of Sunday the 6th, lava erupted from Fissure 8. A flow of lava advanced slowly northward and stopped after having traveled nearly one kilometer. Currently the activity is minimal, but this is likely only a pause in activity. Continuous seismic activity indicates that renewed eruptive activity is likely. New outbreaks or resumption of lava production at existing vents can occur at any time.
Aftershocks from Fridays M6.9 earthquake continue and more are expected.
Continuous degassing at nearly all fissures leaves the air pollution levels elevated. The threat level increases due to smoke from burning houses and burning asphalt.
The tiltmeters at the summit of Kīlauea continue to record a deflation trend. This corresponds with the continuously decreasing lava lake height at the summit crater. Overall the lake lever dropped more than 200 meters.
Thermal map of the area currently experiencing eruptions in the Easter Rift zone, overlaying a more widespread air photo. Lava flow spreading northward is clearly visible form fissure 8. Temperature is indicated by grey scale, with the brightest colours indicating the highest temperatures (whitish areas are the active lava flows). The grey areas are the other fissures. They are numbered in succession of their occurrence.
A new fissure erupted in the evening of the 5th, beginning with small lava spattering and evolving to lava fountains as high as about 70 m that erupted from the fissure.
Lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea. Lake levers have dropped significantly.
Previous Posts
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 1: Introduction
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 2: The Hawaiian Hotspot
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 3: A growing volcano
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 4: The Rejuvenation Stage
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 5: Evolution to Atolls and Seamounts
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 6: Mythology vs Geology
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 7: Recent eruptions
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 8: Volcano Monitoring
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 9: Predicting Eruptions
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 10: Volcanic Air Pollution
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 11: Volcanoes falling apart… from Landslides and Tsunamis
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 12: Benefits of Volcanoes
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 13: The Double Volcano Chain
Hawaiian volcanoes - Part 14.1: Current eruption of Kīlauea
References
- https://www.usgs.gov/news/kilauea-volcano-erupts
- https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/thermal-map-leilani-estates-fissures
- https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/view-new-fissure-luana-street-leilani-estates
- https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/kilauea-summit-lava-lake
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USGS_Kīlauea_multimediaFile-1955.jpg
Great addition to the series man! Keep it going
so crazy seeing this in action a very slow eruption which is a good eruption if its going to happen I would think?
It is super crazy to see this happen. I am grateful of the amazing job of the USGS of documenting this event so detailed.
I am not sure if I would describe the current eruptions as slow, but I know what you mean. It is the nature of Hawaiian magmatism that the eruptions are by majority not explosive but lava erupting along fissures, like in this scenario. Lava itself moves more slowly than a base surge or a pyroclastic flow associated with explosive volcanism. But basaltic lava has a low viscosity and if the volumes are right, it can still flow pretty fast.
Hope you are safe and staying out of harms way!
Thanks for sharing these images and your update. I tuned into Hawaii News Now and watched a lot of the videos.
A Vulcanologist from the USGS said that when the lava lake in Mount Kilauea dropped, it forced all the lava into the volcano's plumbing. And it was forced out in fissures.
Have never seen anything this bad in Hawai'i. It's at the same time, fascinating and frightening.
Subscribed!
Thank you, but I am not a Hawaiian resident and am in no harm. But I hope that the residents of Hawai'i are safe and this event stops soon.
I thought the lava lake decrease is the result of the eruption, not the cause. I need to read into that. I have not fully understood the complete plumbing system of Kīlauea yet.
Yeah, I realized that after I subscribed to you. But, oh well. Never hurts to look out for people.
Definitely not :) I appreciate it
Some great photos there. It's not the first time I've seen pictures of lava rolling down the road in Hawaii. They must have a big road maintenance budget, has to be an expensive cleanup
All photos thanks to the USGS. They really do an amazing job of informing the public.
And I really wonder how you dispose of lava... I guess when everything is cooled it's just a big chunk of glass. But all the photos have made me think of that as well. Maybe there will be some information available when they are dealing with the aftermath.
Hawaiian lava is so interesting in the way it just oozes and slowly flows. I like the way it forms an insulating crust that it flow under giving it more carrying distance.
It is a wonder of nature that I desperately want to experience in person one day.
That first image is really astonishing! Especially the contrast between the pretty green grass with the well maintained road, and the sudden lava stream that sets everything on fire.
It must be so frighting for the inhabitants to see your home island sputter out hot molten rock. Thanks for keeping us updated 👍.
You received a 80.0% upvote since you are a member of geopolis and wrote in the category of "geopolis".
To read more about us and what we do, click here.
https://steemit.com/geopolis/@geopolis/geopolis-the-community-for-global-sciences-update-4
Awesome photos and great update. Full on situation there and sad to see so many homes and property being lost. Makes us want to consider zoning in the future in areas with geohazards such as potential eruptions (especially) on active volcanoes.
Thanks again for your great posts @sooflauschig!
Excited for an update about what is happening in Part 14.3!!!
14.3 and 14.4 are out.
But you are right, it is time for an update soon.
Sorry! Was not keeping track of your numbering but seems like lots of interesting things happening now including crazy cloud heading west...