Subsidence of caldera floor impedes ability to transmit data

Location of the NPIT GPS station, relative to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Beginning on June 8, 2018, a portion of the caldera floor north of Halema'uma'u, where NPIT was located, began to slump into the crater. Over the next ten days NPIT GPS recorded down-dropping of 6-8 m (20-25 ft) with each summit explosion event, which have been occurring almost every day. This, together with earlier displacements, added up to a position change of 95 m (310 ft) down, 55 m (180 ft) south, and 5 m (16 ft) east. The large motions have now resulted in a misalignment of the radio shot between the instrument and the observatory, cutting off communication, and therefore data flow, from the GPS station.