HVO reported that lava effusion from a vent on the inner NW wall of Kilauea's Halema`uma`u Crater continued to feed a growing lava lake during 30 December-5 January. A cone had formed over the remaining active vent, which was one of three that had opened at the beginning of the eruption. Lava sometimes spattered from vents at the top of a cone and flowed down into the lake through a crusted-over channel; during 2-5 January a dome fountain was visible near the lake's margin, formed by upwelling of lava as in entered the lake at a partially submerged inlet.
Kilauea's lava lake this evening (themal webcam image of HVO)
According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), the lava lake remains active and hasn't shown big variations over the past days.
Sat, 26 Dec 2020, 19:44
Activity of the northern vent of Kilauea's lava lake yesterday (image: HVO)
The new eruption continues with little changes, but the rapidly formed lava lake in the summit collapse crater might have reached an equilibrium between magma influx and drain, as it has only increased little during the past 24 hours.
Read allFri, 25 Dec 2020, 19:24
Kilauea's new lava lake on Christmas Day morning (image: HVO webcam)
The new eruption of the world's most active volcano continues with no significant change, but at breathtaking speed as the new lava lake grows and is about to inundate its vents.
Read allWed, 23 Dec 2020, 06:00
HVO reported that the eruption from N and W fissure vents on the inner walls of Kilauea's Halema`uma`u Crater continued to feed a growing lava lake during 23-29 December. Lava erupted from the N and W vents during 23-26 December with lava fountains that were sometimes 10 m high. The lake level rose above the N vent by 0300 on 26 December; later that day, volcanologists noted that the lake was slowly draining at that location.
Read allTue, 22 Dec 2020, 20:53
View of the Kilauea crater in the morning of 22 Dec 2020 (image: HVO)
The new eruption continues at steady pace: during the first day of activity, lava effusion focused on only one of the initially 3 fissure vents in the lower crater walls, something that is often the case as the rising magma tends to exploit the best-available path, now clear of obstacles.
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 19:19
Steam and ash plume from last night's beginning of the new eruption at Kilauea volcano ( image taken at approximately 10:30 p.m., 12/20/20, NPS Photo/J. Wei)
Shortly after the eruption began, lava erupted form the new fissures inside the summit crater came in direct contact with the existing water lake. The result was a very explosive interaction that evaporated the lake completely, now being replaced by a pond of lava.
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 18:28
Image of the Halema'uma'u crate with the approx. location of the new vents (image: HVO)
The volcano observatory posted a vertical image with the approximate location of the new vents, 3 in total, on the lower NW walls of the Halema'uma'u pit crater.
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 17:18
View of the eruptive site in the morning from the western rim of the Halema'uma'u collapse crater (image: HVO webcam)
As dawn breaks over Kilauea volcano, some details about the new eruption can be seen: the new vents are eruptive fissures in the western and northwestern lower walls of the pit crater. They produce low lava fountains that feed flows that have been creating a pool of lava at the bottom of the crater.
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 15:30
Mon, 21 Dec 2020, 13:07
USGS posted the following summary with interesting information about the activity at the volcano during the weeks preceding today's new eruption:
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 09:59
Lava fountains from the bottom of the deep pit crater in Kilauea's Halema'uma crater, from the west rim of the collapse crater (image: HVO)
Livecam imagery shows what seems to be lava fountaining from vents at the bottom of the Halema'uma'u pit crater, where the water lake had been until yesterday.
Mon, 21 Dec 2020, 09:31
Glow from Kilauea's Halema'uma'u crater
The eruption which has started about 2 hours ago inside the summit caldera is now producing a strong glow from the Haleama'uma'u crater.
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 09:22
Weak glow is visible from the Kilauea caldera this morning (evening in Hawaii) (image: HVO / USGS)
A new eruption started at Kilauea volcano in the evening of 20 Dec in Hawaii (local time). The volcano observatory reported:
Read allMon, 21 Dec 2020, 09:00
Wed, 16 Dec 2020, 06:00
HVO reported that a new eruption at Kilauea began on 20 December, after almost a month of pre-eruptive activity that included a dike intrusion. An earthquake swarm on 30 November centered in the middle of the caldera was recorded followed by periods of increased seismicity in the upper East Rift Zone. Spikes in seismicity began on 2 December; at 1745 earthquakes intensified beneath the S part of the caldera; tiltmeters simultaneously recorded accelerated deformation, resulting in about 8 cm of caldera floor uplift.
Read allFri, 4 Dec 2020, 10:11
Northeastern flank of Puʻu ʻŌʻō (image: HVO)
According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) an
increase of seismic activity has been recorded during 29 Nov-3 Dec.
Read allFri, 23 Oct 2020, 16:18
Location of today's quakes (red) near the summit of Kilauea volcano
A swarm of small shallow earthquakes has been occurring today in an area 2-3 miles northwest of the summit caldera, near the Highway 11.
Read allSat, 10 Oct 2020, 09:02
Panorama view of Halemaʻumaʻu water lake taken 09 October 2020 (Image: USGS live webcam)
To capture the public's attention, some news articles occasionally over-exaggerate on the scientific truth, elaborating on evidence and observation. Is the Halema'uma'u Crater within Kīlauea Volcano really
“turning into a deadly crater lake?” as portrayed in a recent Forbes article and thus triggering similar eye-catching news stories. One article claims
“the volcano is quickly turning into a crater lake full of lava” - a statement that is very misleading and, scientifically, inaccurate for the volcano in question.
Read allFri, 7 Aug 2020, 09:23
Comparison of Kilauea's summit (water) lake between 2 August 2019 and 21 July 2020 (image: HVO)
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported that the volcano's
summit water lake has continued to rise since 25 July last year when water was first spotted at the bottom of Halema'uma'u pit crater inside the summit caldera.
Read allSat, 4 Apr 2020, 00:51
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have released the monthly update of activity at Kilauea volcano over the month of March.
Read allFri, 6 Mar 2020, 16:44
The growth of the water pond at Halema'uma'u (C) U.S, Geological Survey
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) report that over the past month at Kilauea volcano, the rates of seismicity varied but within a range observed over the past year. Sulfur dioxide emission rates have been low at the summit and below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower East Rift Zone. The water pond at the bottom of Halema'uma'u continues to slowly expand and deepen and its dimensions are approximately 100 meters (330 feet) by 200 meters (660 feet) and approximately 28 meters or 92 feet deep as of early March.
Read allThu, 6 Feb 2020, 23:05
Kilauea caldera captured from HVO's KWcam (C) U.S. Geological Survey
Over the past month, rates of seismicity were variable but within long term vales. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and are below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower East Rift Zone. The pond at the bottom of Halema'uma'u, which began forming on July 25, 2019, continues to slowly expand and deepen. The pond has grown 95 meters by 194 meters (310 feet by 640 feet) and 25 meters (82 feet) deep. The pond has deepened by 2 meters (around 7 feet) over the month of January 2020.
Read allSun, 12 Jan 2020, 16:08
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) note that the rates of seismicity over the month of December 2019 were variable but within long term vales. Sulfur dioxide emission rates were low at the summit and were below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower East Rift Zone. The pond at the bottom of Halema'uma'u crater, which began forming on July 25, 2019, continues to slowly expand and deepen. As of early January 2020, the dimensions of the pond are 84 meters by 190 meters (280 feet by 620 feet). Current depth is about 23 meters (75 feet).
Read all