Volcano Watch: Kilauea activity update for August 3, 2017

Video courtesy of Tropical Visions Video with air transportation by Paradise Helicopters.


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, Kīlauea 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‘ō. 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 Hawaiʻi 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 Hāwī 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‘ō, where there is a small lava pond.

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‘ō, where there is a small lava pond.

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