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Using SO2 camera imagery and seismicity to examine degassing and gas accumulation at Kīlauea Volcano, May 2010

January 1, 2015

SO2 camera measurements at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii, in May of 2010 captured two occurrences of lava lake rise and fall within the Halema'um'au Crater summit vent. During high lava stands we observed diminished SO2 emission rates and decreased seismic tremor. Similar events at Kīlauea have been described as the result of sporadic degassing following gas accumulation beneath a mostly impermeable lava lake surface. Incorporation of SO2 camera data into a multi-parameter dataset gives credence to the likelihood of shallow gas accumulation as the cause of these high stand events, with accumulated gas release upon lake-level drop compensating for the gas deficit reached during accumulation.

Publication Year 2015
Title Using SO2 camera imagery and seismicity to examine degassing and gas accumulation at Kīlauea Volcano, May 2010
DOI 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2014.12.005
Authors Patricia A Nadeau, Cynthia A. Werner, Gregory P. Waite, Simon A Carn, Ian D Brewer, Tamar Elias, Andrew Sutton, Christoph Kern
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
Index ID 70187038
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Volcano Science Center