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June 27 breakout building a lava shield near Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō; Kahauale‘a 2 flow is dead
The June 27 breakout initially produced a channelized lava flow that reached Pu‘u Kahauale‘a (about 1.5 km, or 0.9 miles, from the vent) during the first day, but over the past two days the surface flows have retreated closer to the vent, building a lava shield (visible just above the center of the photograph).
This comparison of the normal photograph with a thermal image shows the extent of the lava shield clearly. The lava shield is visible as the area of high temperatures (hot colors) in the thermal image. Corresponding spots are marked with small arrows for reference. The initial channelized flow that reached Pu‘u Kahauale‘a during the first day is inactive now, but still slightly warm.
Another look at the lava shield formed from lava erupting from the June 27 vent. The shield consists of a broad, and relatively flat, top with multiple narrow streams of lava flowing down the sides.
A view of the lava shield with the thermal camera.
A view from the ground of the lava pond in the northeast portion of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. Note the layering exposed in the wall above the pond surface.
The lava pond in the northeast portion of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. A lava pond has existed here for months, but it enlarged considerably during lava level drop and collapses that occurred with the start of the June 27 breakout. Today, the lava pond was about 35 meters (yards) across, and seven meters (yards) below the rim.
View of the wall above the lava pond in the northeast portion of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. The lava pond surface is in the lower portion of the photograph. The dark hole in the upper part of the photograph is the truncated entrance to the lava tube that had been supplying lava to the Kahauale‘a 2 flow. With the lava level well below the entrance to the lava tube, lava is no longer flowing into the tube and the Kahauale‘a 2 flow is now inactive. The lava tube here is about 2 meters (yards) wide.
A closer view of the entrance to the lava tube that had been supplying the Kahauale‘a 2 flow.
This Quicktime movie shows activity in the lava pond in the northeast portion of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. A lava pond has been here for months, but it enlarged considerably during the June 27 breakout as the lava level in the pond dropped.
The Kahauale‘a 2 flow is dead
Until recently, surface flows were active in this portion of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow, triggering small brush fires and creating smoke plumes. With the opening of new vents on June 27, the supply of lava into the Kahauale‘a 2 tube was shut off (see photos of the tube above). There were no active surface flows anywhere on the Kahauale‘a 2 flow today.
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