HVO scientists performed preliminary tests of Kilauea summit lakewater

HVO scientists performed some preliminary tests of the water at the caldera rim minutes after it was collected. The thermal image shows that the water sample, in the plastic bottles, remained hot. Initial testing of the Kīlauea summit crater lake water sample revealed a pH of 4.2. This value is acidic, though not as low as at some other volcanic lakes around the world, which can have pH values near or lower than zero. The conductivity of the water, related to the amount of dissolved solids, was above the upper limit of our current sensor. We were unsuccessful in obtaining a direct measurement of the lake's temperature, but recent measurements by a thermal camera on the rim of the crater indicate a maximum water temperature of 65-75° C. More in-depth analyses of the water will be conducted by USGS colleagues at the California Volcano Observatory. USGS images by M. Patrick, 26 Oct 2019. (Public Domain)