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Photo and Video Chronology - Kīlauea - April 11, 2003

April 11, 2003

Lava and the ahu

photo of lava
Ahu, 2.7 meters high, stands at seaward end of kipuka, seeming to guard against advancing lava. Note brown, dead grass and brush between ahu and lava, and burned remnants of two former trees lying on still-hot flow left of ahu. This ahu was on a high tumulus near western margin of Mother's Day flow before Kohola arm of that flow moved around it and inflated.
photo of lava
Lava moves across kipuka at front of advancing breakout.
photo of lava
Lava at front of advancing breakout slouches down to base of flow front. Width of view, about 1.5 meters.

 

photo of lava
In same area, lava finds its way into crack in surface of kipuka. Width of view, 1 meter.
photo of lava
Front of breakout nears vegetation. Photo taken from near ahu.
photo of lava
West side of breakout front, just meeting dead vegetation.
photo of lava
Lava has covered most of remaining kipuka and is advancing toward 2.7-meter-high ahu.
photo of lava
Nine minutes later and nearer ahu, lava breaks out of inflating flow along long crack in crust.
photo of lava
Lava kisses upslope side of ahu. View looks west.
photo of lava
View looks east across front of breakout to ahu. Red color on side of ahu (best seen in large view) is not incandescence but rather flower left as offering for Pele. No more than 5 minutes later, the last remaining surface of kipuka (below) was covered.

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