Recent Kilauea Status Reports, Updates, and Information Releases
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Saturday, December 15, 2012 7:49 AM HST (Saturday, December 15, 2012 17:49 UTC)
This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and Webcam images (available at
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at
http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. All times are Hawai`i Standard Time.
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25'16" N 155°17'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGEActivity Summary: Kilauea continued to erupt at two locations: At the summit, tilt and lava lake levels were stable. At Pu`u `O`o, at least two lava flows issued from sources inside the crater. One lava flow was active on the coastal plain and lava was entering the ocean near Kupapa`u. Seismic tremor levels were low and gas emissions were elevated.
Recent Observations at Kilauea summit: The summit tiltmeter network recorded meager inflation and the lava lake level fluctuated but generally remained high and stable below the inner ledge. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 800 tonnes/day on December 13, 2012. 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.
Seismic tremor levels were at low values.
Four earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea: 1 beneath the west edge of the summit caldera and 3 on south flank faults.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 has varied from about 25 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. The surface level of the lava lake has remained below the inner ledge (~31 m or 100 ft below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater on October 29, 2012) and has not risen above and flooded the ledge since October 28, 2012. 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: Lava flows remained active on the coastal plain in one 1-km-wide (0.6 mi wide) flow with scattered surface activity extending from near the pali to the coast east of the easternmost boundary of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park (see images). An ocean entry marked by a weak and variable plume continued near Kupapa`u; the active lava delta has grown slowly to about 50 m (165 ft) width.
HAZARD ALERT: Lava entering the ocean builds lava deltas. The lava delta and adjacent areas are some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce explosions capable of throwing both dense and molten rocks hundreds of meters (yards) in all directions (inland as well as out to sea), and can produce damaging local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.
At Pu`u `O`o, lava levels remained high. The north rim of the northeast spatter cone/lava lake collapsed at 11:30 am; the collapse was followed by a brief overflow that almost reached the north edge of the crater floor; the lava lake surface was visible in the thermal camera after the collapse and there was another, much smaller, overflow at about 4 am this morning. A larger lava flow issued from the spatter cone on the north edge of the crater floor starting around noon and continued through evening followed by another flow starting around 4 am this morning that continued to be active at the time of this posting; both flows initially advanced to the west before splitting and going north and south at the base of the west crater wall.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded minor deflation between 8 am and noon yesterday before flat-lining (no significant ground tilt); the deflation did not correlate with any other changes and preceded the lava activity mentioned above by several hours. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o remain low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 200 tonnes/day on December 13, 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 2011. Since late December 2011, the flows have remained intermittently active on the pali and the coastal plain and finally re-entered the ocean starting on November 24, 2012. 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; the lava flows do not pose a hazard to any structures not already within the County-declared mandatory evacuation zone. Lava deltas, which can collapse into the ocean without warning, are extremely hazardous and should be avoided (see HAZARD ALERT above). 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 active 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, these flows 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.Additional Information:For a definition of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem/index.phpMaps, photos, Webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/activity/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.
A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/