

Time-lapse movie at Mile Marker 14.5 on Pahoa-Kalapana Road (Route 130). The roadway plates are being paved over. September 6-13, 2018 Images courtesy HDOT



Time-lapse movie at Mile Marker 14.5 on Pahoa-Kalapana Road (Route 130) camera 2. The roadway plates are being paved over. Sept. 6-13, 2018 Images courtesy HDOT



Time-lapse movie of a research camera positioned northeast of the Fissure 8 cone, looking into the crater. September 11-13, 2018. Images courtesy of USGS/HVO



The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) team completed its mission at Kīlauea Volcano’s summit, mapping changes within the caldera. Since August 4, 2018, the number of earthquakes at the summit have decreased and the rate of subsidence has stabilized. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates at the summit is less than 200 tonnes/day, which is lower than at any time since late 2007. Limited UAS flights into this hazardous area are conducted with permission and coordination with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Scientists examine the UAS data in detail to understand how the collapse area is evolving and to assess hazards at Kīlauea’s summit, all of which is shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers. Video courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory



On September 4-7, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems team flew several missions documenting changes within fissure 8 on Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone. On September 4, lava erupted on the crater floor within the vent, building a small cone on the floor and creating a flow that did not extend beyond the vent walls. On September 5, gas bursts briefly lifted the crust over a small opening on the lava flow surface. On September 6, minor incandescence was visible overnight, but only fuming was observed during daylight hours. On September 7, activity was limited to fuming and slight deflation of the lava flow surface near the center of fissure 8. Video courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

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

At Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone, incandescence was intermittently visible at fissure 8 during the past week. Since the beginning of September, small lava flows have been observed within the fissure 8 cone, but none have extended outside the walls of the cone. At the summit of the volcano, seismicity and ground deformation remain low. Hazardous conditions still exist at both the LERZ and summit. Residents in the lower Puna and Kīlauea summit areas on the Island of Hawaiʻi should stay informed and heed Hawai‘i County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages (www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-al…). HVO daily Kīlauea updates are posted at volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/k….

Small collapses in the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater during the past week produced visible dusty brown plumes and generated small tilt offsets and seismic energy recorded by HVO geophysical instruments.

The combined sulfur dioxide emission rates at Kīlauea’s summit, Puʻu ʻŌʻō, and lower East Rift Zone remain at less than 1,000 tonnes per day—lower than at any time since late 2007.

The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL (volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_a…).

HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa and will report any significant changes on either volcano.

One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.6 earthquake 29 km (18 mi) southeast of Waikoloa at 32 km (20 mi) depth on September 11 at 08:54 a.m. HST. Aftershocks from the May 4, 2018, magnitude-6.9 earthquake are still being generated on faults located on Kīlauea’s South Flank.

Please visit HVO’s website (volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo) for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa monthly updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Summary Kīlauea updates recorded at 808-967-8862. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Reddit

Tumblr

LinkedIn

Print

More

Pocket

