Kilauea Volcano Update

Kilauea activity update - from the US Geological Survey, Big Island

Surface flows in the Royal Gardens subdivision slowed early this past week in response to a deflation-inflation event at Kilauea’s summit, but had picked up again by Wednesday evening. At the coast, the Waikupanaha and Kupapau ocean entries remain active and continue to produce prominent plumes, accompanied by small littoral explosions as lava spills into the ocean.

At Kilauea’s summit, a series of collapses in the vent within Halemaumau Crater on Tuesday caused a significant widening of the vent. Rubble from the collapses filled the bottom of the vent and partly choked off the emission of gas, resulting in a wispy plume. Despite this rubble, the vent is still emitting elevated amounts of volcanic gas, resulting in high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind. The glow from the vent, visible early in the week from Jaggar Museum, was extinguished by the collapses. However, a webcam recorded a few points of incandescence within the vent on Wednesday night, suggesting that lava still resides deep within the vent below the pile of rubble.

Five earthquakes beneath Hawaii Island were reported felt this past week. A 3.5 magnitude earthquake occurred at 8:39 p.m., on June 28 and was located 2 miles southeast of Makawao, Maui, at a depth of 19 miles. Three earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.4 and 2.6 occurred on Tuesday (one at 1:38 and two at 2:29 p.m.), and were located beneath Halemaumau Crater at depths between 0.9-1.1 miles. A 3.3 magnitude earthquake occurred at 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday and was located six miles northeast of Kukuihaele at a depth of 16 miles.

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