Kilauea Summit Update – 6/26/15
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Kilauea summit’s fluctuating behavior continues.
On Thursday afternoon at about 3 p.m., inflationary tilt was recorded, switching over from the deflationary tilt that began on Wednesday.
In coordination with the current behavior at the summit of Kilauea, the lava lake within the Overlook crater has fluctuated over the past week. HVO reported that the level of the lake rose slightly on Thursday afternoon before remaining consistent after midnight.
Currently, the lava lake is about 148 feet below the new rim of the Overlook crater.
Seismic levels remain at background levels as bursts of seismic tremor that are associated with periods of vigorous spattering within the Overlook crater continue to be reported by HVO Friday morning.
At Puʻu ʻŌʻō, no major changes have been recorded by tiltmeters, and seismic levels continue to be at background levels.
Observation of the June 27 lava flow through webcam images has consistently shown active lava breakouts extending to an area about 5 miles to the northeast of Puʻu ʻŌʻō.
June 25: The stalled distal tip. An area of activity generates some smoke in the distance, while Pu‘u ‘O‘o sits against the horizon in the upper left of this image. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: The eastern most lobe continues to creep along, although volume of lava seems to have tapered off some. Areas of rising smoke indicate the areas of activity, while Pu‘u ‘O‘o sits in the upper right of this frame. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: Robust activity was observed about two miles downslope of Pu‘u ‘O‘o, as lava continues to push into the adjacent ‘ohia forest. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: The collapse pit within Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater still contains a sloshing lava pond, but rising gas plumes obscured most of it while we were over it. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: A finger of lava takes a tree as it flows eastward. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: A finger of pahoehoe breaks out from the side of a tube. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: The skin of a breakout cools to form those ropey braids pahoehoe is so well known for. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: Lava creeping into the northern tree line two miles from Pu‘u ‘O‘o, consumes the thick understory of hapu‘u and uluhe, and topples ‘ohia trees. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: A breakout from the top of a tube sends lava over both sides of its raised roof. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: A toe of lava pushes through its thickened skin. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters
June 25: The shadow of our helicopter sits over a fresh breakout. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: A lone ‘ama‘u fern (Sadleria cyatheoides), is the first sign of life on this old ‘a‘a flow on the eastern flank of Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: A skylight offers a peek into the fiery depths beneath Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater’s floor. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: Solar powered instruments sit of the edge of Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater. The one on the far right is a webcam that provides HVO geologists a real time view of what’s occurring on the crater’s floor. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
June 25: The early morning sunlight illuminates the tops of tall eucalyptus trees in the Waiakea Forest Reserve. Photo: Extreme Exposure Media/Paradise Helicopters.
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