The activity in the summit lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u has been typical in recent weeks, with the normal fluctuations in lava level. The low sun angle during the late afternoon provided good views of the different surface textures on the lake. Photo taken Sunday, June 4, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO

Subtle folds are common on the lake surface, suggesting that the crust on the lake surface is thin and flexible. In addition, small “blisters” cover large portions of the lake surface. HVO geologists have seen these blisters form, and they appear to be small bubbles that rise and push up the thin crust, without breaking it. The field of view in this photo is roughly 50 meters (yards) wide. Photo taken Sunday, June 4, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO

A clearer picture of the folding on the lake surface, which resemble folds in a piece of thin fabric. The field of view in this photo is roughly 50 meters (yards) wide. Photo taken Sunday, June 4, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO

A view of the northern Overlook crater wall, through passing fume. The lake surface (lower left in photo) was about 22 meters (72 feet) below the crater rim (upper right in photo). The uppermost section of the crater wall is formed by stacks of thin overflows from mid-2015. The main section of the wall, with a light pink color here, is the older portions of the Halema‘uma‘u Crater floor, formed from lava flows that filled the crater decades ago. At the base of the wall, spattering from the lake has deposited a thin black veneer of lava on the crater wall. Sometimes these spatter deposits built out small ledges, and form bulbous protrusions (center of photo) when the lake level drops. Photo taken Sunday, June 4, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO

Time-lapse thermal image movie of Halemaumau Overlook Vent. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO

Time-lapse movie of Halemaumau Overlook Vent. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO

Time-lapse movie of Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook Vent from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO

Time-lapse movie of KÄ«lauea Caldera from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO

Time-lapse movie of Halemaumau Crater looking Southwest. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

(Activity updates are written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)

This past week, Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake fluctuated in concert with summit inflation and deflation, with levels ranging around 21–37 m (69–121 ft) below the vent rim. On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow remained active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna and scattered surface breakouts downslope of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. These flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. During the past week, small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded mostly from beneath the summit caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone at depths about 2–3 km (1–2 mi). Microearthquakes also occurred on the east flank at depths of 5–13 km (3–8 miles). GPS measurements continue to show deformation consistent with inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone. No significant changes in volcanic gas emissions were measured.

Four earthquakes were reported felt on the Island of Hawaiʻi this past week. On June 8, 2017, at 7:01 a.m. HST, a magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Volcano at a depth of 7 km (4 mi). On June 7, at 5:08 p.m., a magnitude-3.4 earthquake occurred 12 km (7 mi) west of Kalaoa at a depth of 14 km (9 mi). On June 07, at 01:00 p.m., a magnitude-3.3 earthquake occurred 4 km (2 mi) southwest of Captain Cook at a depth of 12 km (7 mi). On June 6, at 09:23 a.m., a magnitude-2.7 earthquake occurred 21 km (13 mi) west of Kailua-Kona at a depth of 39 km (24 mi).

Time-lapse movie of Pu’u ‘O’o Crater. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO

Time-lapse image movie from a research camera positioned on Holei Pali, looking east towards Lava Flow 61G and Kalapana. June 1-8, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO