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Pu‘u ‘O‘o continues to pump out lava, flowing through abandoned subdivision

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time-lapse movie of Pu‘u ‘O‘o Cone

View looking southwest of the Pu‘u ‘O‘o cone and crater. The fume sources on the northeast flank (lower left) mark the path of the lava tube that is feeding flows on the pali. The vent feeding the tube is the fuming area near the crater rim (center); an active circular lava pond is immediately behind the vent. The pond began to take shape and become slightly elevated above the crater floor in the past couple of days after lava began erupting in the crater on Saturday (12/5), quickly filling a depression in the east part of the crater. On the far west edge of Pu‘u ‘O‘o is a vent (fuming) that erupted many small flows last week. Photo by USGS/HVO

View looking southwest of the Pu‘u ‘O‘o cone and crater. The fume sources on the northeast flank (lower left) mark the path of the lava tube that is feeding flows on the pali. The vent feeding the tube is the fuming area near the crater rim (center); an active circular lava pond is immediately behind the vent. The pond began to take shape and become slightly elevated above the crater floor in the past couple of days after lava began erupting in the crater on Saturday (12/5), quickly filling a depression in the east part of the crater. On the far west edge of Pu‘u ‘O‘o is a vent (fuming) that erupted many small flows last week. Photo by USGS/HVO

Status update for Wednesday (Dec 7) from USGS/HVO reports

Lava spilling down the steep pali this morning formed many small channels and a‘a flows. Many such flows were visible on the pali overnight. Photo by USGS/HVO

Lava spilling down the steep pali this morning formed many small channels and a‘a flows. Many such flows were visible on the pali overnight. Photo by USGS/HVO

According to the USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory lava continues to flow into the tube system that descends the northeast flank of the Pu‘u ‘O‘o cone and is feeding flows down the pali through the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision. Pahoehoe flows are spreading slowly across the coastal plain. Eruption of lava in the new pond stopped early this morning. Tilt at Pu‘u ‘O‘o started showing deflation late last night and has been relatively flat since midnight.

The lava lake level in Halemaumau remained steady just below the inner ledge (75 m or 250 ft below the floor of Halemaumau Crater). Although not measured this morning, a small amount of ash-sized tephra was probably wafted within the gas plume from the summit vent and deposited on nearby surfaces. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on December 6, 2011.

Seismic tremor levels have not changed appreciably and remain variable. Five earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea volcano: one in the upper east rift zone, one beneath the southwest rift zone, and three beneath the south flank.

Lava flows are active this morning through the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision 6.8 km (4.2 mi) southeast of Pu‘u ‘O‘o and on the coastal plain. The flows advanced about 0.6 km from the base of the pali by yesterday mid-morning, and they continued advancing overnight.

The eruption in Kilauea’s middle east rift zone started with a fissure eruption on January 3, 1983, and has continued since at Pu‘u ‘O‘o Cone, or from vents within a few kilometers to the east or west, with few interruptions.

Close view of the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater. Incandescent spatter cone stands above fumes rising from the main vent area. Lava is still erupting in the lava pond, marked by the smooth shiny surface behind the spatter cone, but the level appears to have stabilized overnight. Photo by USGS/HVO

Close view of the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater. Incandescent spatter cone stands above fumes rising from the main vent area. Lava is still erupting in the lava pond, marked by the smooth shiny surface behind the spatter cone, but the level appears to have stabilized overnight. Photo by USGS/HVO

Pahoehoe flows spreading on the coastal plain about 0.6 km from the base of the pali. When visited this morning, the flows had spread out considerably as they filled in low areas of the coastal plain. The leading edge of the flows were about 2.5 km from the ocean. Photo by USGS/HVO

Pahoehoe flows spreading on the coastal plain about 0.6 km from the base of the pali. When visited this morning, the flows had spread out considerably as they filled in low areas of the coastal plain. The leading edge of the flows were about 2.5 km from the ocean. Photo by USGS/HVO

Active pahoehoe, fed by a lava tube originating at Pu‘u ‘O‘o, has been migrating downslope within the Royal Gardens subdivision over the past week. The flow front is outlined by the white dotted line. The flow is running alongside a forested kipuka, triggering brush fires visible in the photo. The flow is following the west margin of lava flows emplaced in February 2010, which brings the current flow close to the last occupied residence (orange structure in center of photo) in Royal Gardens. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

Active pahoehoe, fed by a lava tube originating at Pu‘u ‘O‘o, has been migrating downslope within the Royal Gardens subdivision over the past week. The flow front is outlined by the white dotted line. The flow is running alongside a forested kipuka, triggering brush fires visible in the photo. The flow is following the west margin of lava flows emplaced in February 2010, which brings the current flow close to the last occupied residence (orange structure in center of photo) in Royal Gardens. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

This photograph, taken from the east rim of Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater, shows a cone in the crater which was occasionally spitting minor amounts of spatter from the incandescent opening at its top. In the foreground, several altered blocks (pink-orange colored) sitting on the recent lava flow are evidence of a small explosive event in the crater€” sometime in the last two weeks — that cast the blocks onto the rim. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

This photograph, taken from the east rim of Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater, shows a cone in the crater which was occasionally spitting minor amounts of spatter from the incandescent opening at its top. In the foreground, several altered blocks (pink-orange colored) sitting on the recent lava flow are evidence of a small explosive event in the crater€” sometime in the last two weeks — that cast the blocks onto the rim. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

Map showing Pu‘u ‘O‘o and the extent of nearby lava flows. The currently active flow (episode 61) is shown as the two shades of red & €”pink is the extent of the flow from September 21 to November 21, and bright red marks flow expansion from November 21 to December 2. The contour interval on Pu‘u ‘O‘o is 5 m

Map showing Pu‘u ‘O‘o and the extent of nearby lava flows. The currently active flow (episode 61) is shown as the two shades of red & pink is the extent of the flow from September 21 to November 21, and bright red marks flow expansion from November 21 to December 2. The contour interval on Pu‘u ‘O‘o is 5 m

One Response to “Pu‘u ‘O‘o continues to pump out lava, flowing through abandoned subdivision”

  1. Colin says:

    Great shots! Thanks for the update, we’re watching with interest up the hill in Laupahoehoe, Mahalo!

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