Unified Interior Regions
Hawaii
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Two strands of flowing lava come together
Two strands of flowing lava come together to form single cascade on upper part of old sea cliff at Highcastle. Still taken at 0546 shows same scene.
Spreading and advancing breakout
Spreading and advancing breakout, the same as that shown in 0545 still image for today. Width of view, about 2 m.
Spreading and advancing breakout
Closer view of spreading and advancing breakout shown above. Width of view, about 0.6 m.
Rapidly moving and changing breakout in Highcastle lobe
Rapidly moving and changing breakout in Highcastle lobe. Still taken today at 0603 is of this breakout. Width of view, about 2.5 m.
Rapidly moving and changing breakout in Highcastle lobe
Continuation and further development of rapidly moving and changing breakout in Highcastle lobe. Still taken today at 0603 is of this breakout. Width of view, about 2.5 m.
Two converging toes
Two converging toes, the same as those shown in last two still images for today. Width of view, about 1.5 m.
Lava moving rapidly at front of breakout
Lava moving rapidly at front of breakout 880 m north of coconut grove. Width of view, about 1.5 m.
Lava moving along east edge of breakout near ahu
Lava moving along east edge of breakout near ahu. Width of view, about 1 m.
Lava at front of breakout
Lava at front of breakout moves into and burns dead shrubbery. Width of view, about 2 m.
Lava moves rapidly from under crust
Lava moves rapidly from under crust of inflating flow and finally disappears under overhang. Length of flowing toe, about 1 m.
Lava moves across rope
Broad toe of lava moves across rope that formed barrier for access to Wilipe`a lava delta.
Lava breaks out of inflated toe
Lava breaks out of inflated toe and moves down moderate slope with rolling motion, top faster than bottom. See still images for this day; sagging rope gives scale.
Four of us HVO lava junkies had the rare opportunity to witness a partial bench collapse on Monday evening, June 8. The collapse began at 7:40 p.m. when a slab of incandescent lava fell outward from the bench edge into the ocean. The hot rock was fragmented by steam explosions as it hit the sea water, and the steam cloud became abruptly darker as the rock fragments were blasted upward.
Lava Continues to Erupt from Pu`u `O`o and Flow Into the Sea
Billowing clouds of steam rising from two discrete locations along the Kamokuna-Waha`ula coastline are often the only reminders we have of Kīlauea Volcano's near-constant effusion of lava into the sea.
The gravitational attraction of the Sun and the Moon produce the familiar ocean tides and the less familiar earth tides. Why are volcanologists interested in earth tides? Earth tides are cyclical, small, and slow ground movements that we use to calibrate and test sensitive volcano deformation- monitoring instruments. They might also trigger volcanic events.
Precisely 74 years ago today, the final chapter of one of Kīlauea's most alarming displays of volcanic power came to a close. Halema`uma`u, the fire pit nestled in Kīlauea's summit caldera, ended a 10-day-long outburst of violent steam explosions on May 24, 1924.
The story is told of how Maui snared the sun, holding it hostage atop Haleakalā until he slowed its passage across the sky. One result of this slow burn is a barren, rocky landscape devoid of soil or vegetation. Geologically speaking, the devastation resulted as numerous cinder cones and fissures erupted lava that flowed across the crater floor. How young are these flows?
The announcement last week that astronomers at Keck Observatory had looked back 12.3 billion years in time was astounding. When you think about it, though, it is pretty amazing that we can determine the age of any natural event that took place before written records, whether it be 12.3 billion years or a few hundred. How is this done?
As April draws to a close, so ends Tsunami Awareness Month in the State of Hawai`i. Tsunami Awareness Month featured programs and events coordinated among a number of government and private-sector organizations in order to increase awareness and understanding of the hazards posed by tsunamis.
The eruption of 1942 was noteworthy for several reasons. (1) It was declared a secret so the press was not allowed to publicize the event. (2) This was the second time lava diversion was tried on an eruption of Mauna Loa. (3) The volcanologists were able to predict the timing and place of the eruption.
Surges Interspersed Among Steady-state Activity
Govenor Ben Cayetano's proclamation of April as "Tsunami Awareness Month" in Hawai`i is a timely one, for a generation of residents has grown up oblivious of the destructive force of these waves.
In some regards, monitoring an active volcano is easy; the constant bustle keeps a watcher on his or her toes. But what if a volcano hasn't erupted in 200 years?
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Locations
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Phone: (808) 985-6420
Fax: (808) 967-8568
Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center
Pacific Islands Water Science Center
Phone: 808-690-9600
Fax: 808-690-9599
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
askHVO@usgs.gov
Phone: (808) 967-7328
Fax: (808) 967-8890
O'ahu Field Station
Phone: 808-690-9571
Fax: 808-690-9599
National Wildlife Health Center, Honolulu Field Station
Phone: (808) 792-9520
Fax: (808) 792-9596