Video courtesy of Tropical Visions Video with air transportation by Paradise Helicopters.
HVO geologists captured this image of a Koa‘e kea (white-tailed tropicbird) flying high over the summit lava lake this morning (visible between the two spattering sources). These graceful birds nest in the crater walls of Halema‘uma‘u and other rocky cliffs in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, but fly to the ocean to feed. From the Jaggar Museum overlook, Koa‘e kea can often be seen flying around Halema‘uma‘u and the outgassing plume from the lava lake. Photo taken Friday, July 28, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO
Summit deflation over the past day occurred as part of a deflation-inflation (DI) event, and, as usual with deflation, the lava lake level dropped. Over the past two days the lake level has dropped about 20 m (66 ft). The previous level is marked by the top of the black ring of lava veneer on the Overlook crater wall (visible just to the left of the spattering sites). Photo taken Friday, July 28, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO
The summit lava lake level continued to drop through Saturday July 29 as the summit deflated. Rockfalls from the Overlook crater walls have been frequent over the past two days, due to the lowering lava level, and these collapses trigger spattering in the lake. The spattering in this telephoto image created a local sink in the lake, causing surrounding crust to plunge towards the spattering. Photo taken Saturday, July 29, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO
The episode 61g lava delta at the Kamokuna ocean entry is unstable with many cracks parallel to the coast. Comparing time-lapse images from July 22 (left) and July 31 (right), the large crack in the center of the delta continues to widen. There are many smaller cracks on the delta as well, including a newly formed crack near the base of the cliff (not visible in the images). Other changes over the past ten days include a small slice of delta breaking off near the front on July 28, and multiple surface flows around the front edges of the delta. During HVO’s visit to the coast today (July 31), two lava entry points were producing a robust steam plume. With strong westerly winds, the plume was blowing onshore, covering sections of the emergency route and rope line on the National Park side and creating unpleasant walking conditions in some areas. Photo taken Tuesday, July 31, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO
On the coastal plain, the front of the June 26 breakout was stalled approximately 1.5 km (0.9 mile) from the emergency route road. The flow front had advanced approximately 300 m (0.2 mile) since HVO last mapped it on July 25. A couple of weak surface breakouts were observed near the flow front, with the closest about 50 m (yards) behind the stalled front. Gas emissions from the main 61g flow tube (left) and June 26 breakout tube (right) can be seen on the steep part of the pali (cliff) in the distance. Photo taken Tuesday, July 31, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO
This viscous, slow-moving ropy pÄhoehoe flow was one of only two weak surface breakouts observed by HVO geologists. Photo taken Tuesday, July 31, 2017 courtesy of USGS/HVO
Time-lapse thermal image movie of Halemaumau Overlook Vent. July 27-August 3, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO
Time-lapse movie of Halemaumau Overlook Vent. July 27-August 3, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO
Time-lapse movie of Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook Vent from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. July 27-August 3, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO
Time-lapse movie of KÄ«lauea Caldera from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. July 27-August 3, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO
Time-lapse movie of Halemaumau Crater looking Southwest. July 27-August 3, 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, KÄ«lauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level fluctuated in concert with summit inflation and deflation, ranging 31–48 m (102–157 ft) below the vent rim. On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow remained active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna and surface breakouts downslope of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘Å. Widening cracks and slumping on the Kamokuna lava delta indicate its instability and potential for collapse. The 61g flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. During the past week, small-magnitude earthquakes continued to occur beneath the volcano, primarily in the south caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone, at depths less than 5 km (3 mi). GPS measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone. No significant changes in volcanic gas emissions were measured.
Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred on the Island of HawaiÊ»i during the past week: On August 3, at 3:54 a.m. HST, a magnitude-3.4 earthquake located 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Captain Cook at 11 km (7 mi) depth. On July 30, at 2:01 a.m. HST, a magnitude-4.2 earthquake located 33 km (21 mi) northwest of HÄwÄ« at 17 km (11 mi) depth.
Time-lapse movie of Pu’u ‘O’o Crater. July 27-August 3, 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. July 27-August 3, 2017. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO
This satellite image was captured on Sunday, July 30, by the NASA/USGS Landsat 8 satellite. Although this is a false-color image, the color map has been chosen to mimic what the human eye would expect to see. Bright red pixels depict areas of very high temperatures and show active lava. White areas are clouds.
The image shows that breakouts continue in several areas on the flow field. An area of scattered breakouts remains active on the coastal plain, about 1.5 km (0.9 miles) upslope of the emergency access gravel road. Breakouts are also active above the pali. A thermal anomaly can also be seen at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘Å, where there is a small lava pond.
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