Recent Kilauea Status Reports

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE

October 29, 2009 8:18 AM HST

October 29, 2009 18:18 UTC

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO).

KILAUEA VOLCANO
19°25'16" N 155°17'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH

Activity Summary for past 24 hours:

Enlarged glowing and spattering holes continued to be active deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents remain elevated. Lava flows in the kipuka west of the Public Viewing Area have reactivated and surface flows are active farther west on the coastal plain. Lave is flowing through tubes to the coast and entering the ocean west of Kalapana.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit:

The Overlook vent webcam images again showed fluctuating glow and spattering from two holes deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity. Glow from the vent was visible from Jaggar Museum. This morning, a white plume is rising more than 600 m (2,000 ft)and moving southward over the Ka`u Desert. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,400 tonnes/day on October 26, which is elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Minute amounts of ash-sized tephra continued to be dropped from the plume near the vent.

The summit tiltmeter network recorded slow inflation. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, has recorded little net deformation since mid-August.

Seismic tremor levels remain at low values. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remained below background levels. Two small earthquakes were strong enough to be located - one beneath the summit caldera and one on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field:

Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o crater before erupting from the TEB vent, located 2 km to the east. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,440 tonnes/day on October 16, which is close to the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day. Bright glow was again recorded from within the crater last night.

The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o recorded slow inflation. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, has recorded continued slow contraction of the cone, amounting to almost 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels at Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.

Lava flows from the TEB vent through tubes to the coast, across State- and privately-owned land, and is entering the ocean at Waikupanaha, west of Kalapana. Yesterday, UHH geologists reported that surface flow activity near the Public Viewing Area reactivated over a small area last night but did not threaten the Public Viewing Area Trail head. GOES-WEST thermal anomalies disappeared just before midnight either because of increasing cloud cover or decreasing surface flow activity. HVO geologists will investigate either by air or ground this morning.

HAZARD ALERT:
The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean, and can produce large 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.
Maps, 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://tux.wr.usgs.gov/
A definition of alert levels can be found at http:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem/index.php
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawai`i.

Photos credit USGS

Il Kilauea è un vulcano attivo dell'isola Hawaii di cui si danno le ultime notizie.

Deve la sua nascità al fenomeno della deriva della zolla pacifica che permette la risalita del magma corrispondente al punto caldo (Hot Spot), uno dei più importanti del pianeta.

La sua attività è caratterizzata dall'intensa emissione di diossido di zolfo che lascia transparire delle notevoli bagliori corrispondendo ai materiali incandescenti propulsi dalle bocche principali.

Una colata di lava di grande entità cola lungo il versante verso l'oceano formando un delta, attraverso un sistema di tubi lavici. La lava giunge in acqua provocando delle esplosioni e delle le colonne di vapore d'acqua.

Gli ultimi eventi sismici registrati sono su dei valori bassi anche se 2 scosse molto forti si sono verificatesotto della caldera della sommità e sul versante sud dell'edificio.

Dal cratere Pu' u' O' o il magma continua a degasare prima delle esplosioni.