Volcano Watch: Kilauea activity update for week of June 30, 2011

(Activity updates are written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)

A small lava lake was present deep within the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent during the past week. Cycles of rise and fall were prevalent, causing the lava lake level—and the size of the gas plume—to fluctuate abruptly. Three small DI events occurred near the end of the week.

Low-level spattering from points wandering around the perimeter of the lava lake continually builds up the levee that impounds the lake. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

Low-level spattering from points wandering around the perimeter of the lava lake in Pu‘u ‘O‘o continually builds up the levee that impounds the lake. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

Lava also erupted continuously within Pu`u `O`o over the past week, feeding a lava lake perched above the crater floor. Several breaches along the rim of the perched pond have allowed lava to spill out onto the crater floor. Due to these events, the crater floor has built up another 5 m (16 ft), making it 30 m (98 ft) below the east rim of the crater. Volcanic gas emissions from both vents remain elevated, resulting in relatively high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind.

 

No earthquakes beneath Hawai`i Island were reported felt this past week.
Visit the HVO Web site (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for detailed Kilauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kilauea summary; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

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