In recent weeks, HVO geophysicists have been undertaking a Global Positioning System (GPS) campaign across Kīlauea.
2019 Kīlauea Disaster Supplemental Funding: Eruption Response, Geodesy
Through the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (H.R. 2157), the USGS received Supplemental funding to support recovery and rebuilding activities in the wake of the 2018 Kīlauea volcano eruption. As part of eruption response bolstering, USGS is hardening and augmenting the HVO geodetic monitoring instrumentation and network.

HVO will restore and harden its network of real-time monitoring instruments at the summit and in critical areas along the rift zones to support early detection of magma movement and more accurate and timely characterization of hazards to Island of Hawai‘i communities and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Instruments lost in the eruption will be replaced, other parts of the network will be modernized, and new instruments will be added. Data from a suite of instruments measuring multiple parameters are required to provide the best warnings and forecasts of eruptive activity. Seismometers, GPS/GNSS, tiltmeters, gas sensors, and gravimeters are needed to assess the state of the volcano. Thermal and visual camera systems will enable HVO to monitor surface activity at the summit and lower East Rift Zone and neighboring Mauna Loa. HVO will restore and improve its capability to detect gases coming from magma rising into the system.
Geodetic Monitoring
Activity Description/Goal:
Harden and augment HVO geodetic monitoring network and instrumentation to detect, assess and respond to eruptive activity.

Key Successes/Outcomes:
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~16 sites hardened with new Septentrio PolarX5 GNSS receivers purchased by supplement
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2 sites with new choke ring GNSS antennas purchased by supplement
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Established robust cache of GNSS receivers and antennas for rapid eruption-response deployments and overall network hardening as personnel resources permit.
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The full, annual GPS surveying campaigns were completed for Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes, and the Deformation Team effectively responded to the 2020 Kilauea eruption through remote monitoring and rapid deployments at 3-4 new semi-continuous sites using equipment purchased by the supplemental award. The CALM gravimeter was also re-installed in the Halema’uma’u crater.
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HVO's Geodetic project continues to present evolving current and recent data patterns and modeled sources of deformation to observatory staff, National Park personnel, and scientific colleagues through various briefings and meetings.
Related
In recent weeks, HVO geophysicists have been undertaking a Global Positioning System (GPS) campaign across Kīlauea.
Over the past few months, HVO geophysicists have been conducting the annual high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) survey of Kīlauea. The annual survey supplements HVO's continuous GPS monitoring stations and provides information on vertical and horizontal deformation of the ground surface.
Over the past few months, HVO geophysicists have been conducting the annual high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) survey of Kīlauea. The annual survey supplements HVO's continuous GPS monitoring stations and provides information on vertical and horizontal deformation of the ground surface.

A GPS station that monitors ground deformation on Kīlauea Volcano, one of the approximately 240 volcano-monitoring stations that Steven Fuke, as part of the HVO Technician Group, designs, installs, and maintains.
A GPS station that monitors ground deformation on Kīlauea Volcano, one of the approximately 240 volcano-monitoring stations that Steven Fuke, as part of the HVO Technician Group, designs, installs, and maintains.
Campaign GPS antenna on Kīlauea's south flank at Pu‘ukapukapu inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during the 2019 Kīlauea GPS campaign. View is to the southwest along the Kīlauea Volcano coastline.
Campaign GPS antenna on Kīlauea's south flank at Pu‘ukapukapu inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during the 2019 Kīlauea GPS campaign. View is to the southwest along the Kīlauea Volcano coastline.
Related
In recent weeks, HVO geophysicists have been undertaking a Global Positioning System (GPS) campaign across Kīlauea.
In recent weeks, HVO geophysicists have been undertaking a Global Positioning System (GPS) campaign across Kīlauea.
Over the past few months, HVO geophysicists have been conducting the annual high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) survey of Kīlauea. The annual survey supplements HVO's continuous GPS monitoring stations and provides information on vertical and horizontal deformation of the ground surface.
Over the past few months, HVO geophysicists have been conducting the annual high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) survey of Kīlauea. The annual survey supplements HVO's continuous GPS monitoring stations and provides information on vertical and horizontal deformation of the ground surface.

A GPS station that monitors ground deformation on Kīlauea Volcano, one of the approximately 240 volcano-monitoring stations that Steven Fuke, as part of the HVO Technician Group, designs, installs, and maintains.
A GPS station that monitors ground deformation on Kīlauea Volcano, one of the approximately 240 volcano-monitoring stations that Steven Fuke, as part of the HVO Technician Group, designs, installs, and maintains.
Campaign GPS antenna on Kīlauea's south flank at Pu‘ukapukapu inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during the 2019 Kīlauea GPS campaign. View is to the southwest along the Kīlauea Volcano coastline.
Campaign GPS antenna on Kīlauea's south flank at Pu‘ukapukapu inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during the 2019 Kīlauea GPS campaign. View is to the southwest along the Kīlauea Volcano coastline.