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September 15, 2020

Continued slow rise of water in Halema‘uma‘u

Color photograph of volcanic crater lake
No major changes were observed at the water lake at the summit of Kīlauea. The water colors continue to be dominated by tan and brown hues, and the water level continues to slowly rise.
Color photograph of volcanic crater lake
Walking a short distance north to the KWcam webcam site provided a different viewing angle of the lake at Kīlauea's summit. The color boundary on the lake had shifted slightly during this time, but still separated the western brown zone from the central and eastern tan hues.
Color photograph of volcanic crater lake margin
This close up photo shows the eastern portion of the water lake at Kīlauea's summit. In the upper right, the eastern end of the lake has a slightly greenish hue, which is common in this area. 
Color photographs of volcanic crater lake
This compilation of recent photos of the water lake at Kīlauea's summit shows the dynamic nature of colors and patterns on the water surface. The color boundaries can shift over minutes to tens of minutes. Greenish areas appear to be zones of hot water influx at the lake margins.The light-colored boulder (see arrow on June 30 image) provides a reference point for the lake rise. On June 30 the boulder was well above the water surface. On August 25 it was at the shoreline. And on September 15 it was submerged. Laser rangefinder measurements indicate that the lake rose approximately 5 meters (16 feet) over this time span (June 30-September 15).

 

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