Volcano Watch: Kilauea activity update for May 1, 2014
Posted on May 2, 2014. Tags: halemaumau, hvo, kilauea, lava, puu oo, usgs, volcano, volcano watch
Lava flows from two different vents in Puʻu ʻŌʻŠcrater have spilled out of the crater and down the flanks of the cone over the past week. This photo shows the new flow, easy to identify with its light gray color, originating from the south spatter cone in Puʻu ʻŌʻŠcrater (the spatter cone is visible as a bump on the crater floor). This flow was still active the morning of April 28, 2014 and had traveled a short distance southeast. Another flow, originating from the north spatter cone in Puʻu ʻŌʻŠcrater, is not visible in this photograph. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
The North spatter cone in Puʻu ʻŌʻŠcrater fed a new flow, starting Tuesday evening, that covered much of the northern part of the crater floor and spilled over the crater rim towards the north. The right side of the north spatter cone has been present for many months, but the left side, which was spattering Monday morning (April 28), is new as of this week. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
The lava flow from the north spatter cone ran over old cinder deposits from the early fountaining phases of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻŠin the 1980s. Cinders sticking to the front of the pÄhoehoe lava were lifted up as the front of the pÄhoehoe toes inflated. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
The northeast spatter cone in Puʻu ʻŌʻŠcrater remained active on April 28, 2014, but the lava pond has crusted over, leaving only a small circular opening venting gas. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
A closer look at the small opening at the top of the northeast spatter cone in Puʻu ʻŌʻŠcrater on April 28, 2014. Although the lava pond is crusted over, fluid lava is likely present just a short distance below the opening. Delicate lava stalactites have formed just inside the rim. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
The lava flow from the north spatter cone, in PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ, began on Friday night (April 25) and came close to the north rim of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻŠcrater, where our webcams are situated. Because of this proximity, several of the webcams and other pieces of equipment were moved to higher ground on PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
Despite the recent changes in PuÊ»u ʻŌʻŠcrater over the past week, the KahaualeÊ»a 2 lava flow remains active northeast of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ, and continues to advance slowly through remote forest. The active flow front on April 28, 2014 was 8.3 km (5.2 miles) northeast of the vent on PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ. PuÊ»u ʻŌʻŠis visible near the top of the photograph. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO
Time-lapse movie of Halemaumau Crater from HVO (4/24/14-5/2/14)
Time-lapse movie of Halemaumau Crater (4/24/14-5/2/14)
Time-lapse thermal image movie of Halemaumau Crater (4/24/14-5/2/14)
KÄ«lauea Caldera from HVO (4/24/14-5/2/14)
(Activity updates are written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)
A lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u produced nighttime glow that was visible via HVO’s Webcam during the past week. The lake level was relatively high and stable, staying between 30 m (98 ft) and 35 m (115 ft) below the rim of the Overlook crater.
On Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone, the active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow was 8.3 km (5.2 miles) northeast of its vent on Pu‘u ‘Ō‘Šwhen mapped on Monday, April 28. In addition, two other flows, fed from spatter cones on the northern and southern edges of the crater floor, sent small flows toward the north and southeast, respectively. While the fate of northern flow is not known, Webcam images indicated that, as of Thursday, May 1, the southern flow was still active. Poor views precluded views of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow, but it is expected to be active as well.
There were no earthquakes in the past week reported felt on the Island of Hawai‘i.
Map showing the KahaualeÊ»a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of HawaiÊ»i as of April 28, 2014. The most distant active front of the KahaualeÊ»a 2 flow was just over 8.3 km (5.2 miles) straight-line distance northeast of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ. Two other flows were also active on the flanks of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ, each erupting from a different vent. One, fed from a spatter cone on the north side of the crater floor, had advanced about 400 m down the northern flank of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ. The other, fed from a spatter cone on the south side of the crater floor, had reached about 500 m southeast of PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ. The area of the KahaualeÊ»a 2 flow as of April 18 is shown in pink, while widening of the flow since then, including the two new flows on PuÊ»u ʻŌʻÅ, is shown in red. Older lava flows are distinguished by color: episodes 1–48b flows (1983–1986) are shown in gray; episodes 48c–49 flows (1986–1992) are pale yellow; episodes 50–55 flows (1992–2007) are tan; episodes 58–60 flows (2007–2011) are pale orange, and episode 61 flows (2011–2013) are reddish orange. The active lava tube is shown with a yellow line (dashed where its position is poorly known).
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