Kilauea Summit Update – 6/11/15

Inflationary tilt that first began on Monday continues to steadily increase, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s Thursday report.

Episodic bursts of seismic tremor that is associated with periods of vigorous spattering in the Overlook crater continued to occur throughout the week. HVO reported that within the Overlook crater, lava lake levels are about 174 feet below the current floor of Halema’uma’u. The level has risen nearly 15 meters from where it was measured on Wednesday, and has increased steadily since HVO reported that the lava lake was about 203 feet below Halema’uma’u on Tuesday. The rate on Tuesday was 37 meters higher than what was observed on Sunday afternoon, when Kilauea’s summit was still experiencing deflationary tilt.

Seismic activity below Kilauea’s summit and Puʻu ʻŌʻō have both continued to remain at background levels.

No significant tilt has been reported in recent weeks from the tiltmeter along the north flank of Puʻu ʻŌʻō. On Tuesday morning, beginning at about 1:40 a.m. and lasting through 3 a.m., HVO says that a small lava flow from the south pit complex of Puʻu ʻŌʻō was observed. The lava flow was minor but observable as it covered a small portion of Puʻu ʻŌʻō’s crater floor before ending, according to HVO.

Continued observation of the June 27 lava flow through webcam and satellite imagery  provides HVO scientists with proof that lava breakouts within 5 miles to the northeast of Puʻu ʻŌʻō are still active.