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Photo and Video Chronology - Kīlauea - March 9, 2011

March 9, 2011

Thermal images showing active fountains and channelized ‘a‘ā flow. The western vent complex of Kamoamoa continues to erupt.

Thermal images showing active fountains and channelized ‘a‘ā flow 

This thermal image was taken from a helicopter above the active fountains at the west end of the fissure system. There were two adjacent fountaining areas, with one situated within a spatter cone and the other bursting through a perched lava pond. The fountains were feeding a channelized flow that can be seen in the upper right portion of the image.
This thermal image shows the channelized ‘A‘ā flow that was being fed by the fountains at the west end of the fissure system today. Near the end of the flow, the channel empties into the delta-like flow front.

The western vent complex of Kamoamoa continues to erupt

The eastern vent complex of the Kamoamoa eruption was inactive today, but it continues to emit a thick gas plume.
The western vent complex continues to erupt, and had been doing so for about 30 hours as of the time of this photo. Lava erupting from the vent complex is flowing into a channel with levees.
The channelized flow from the western vent complex advanced significantly downslope through forest within the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
By early this morning, the front of the ‘A‘ā flow fed from the western vent had intercepted the edge of the Mother's Day flow, which was emplaced in 2002-2004. The flow advanced about 2.9 km (1.8 miles) in 30 hours.
The front of the advancing ‘A‘ā flow is about 4 m (13 ft) thick.

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