Volcano Activity Update: June 23, 2017

Halema‘uma‘u Overlook Vent Thermal
2017-06-23 11:29:59 (HST), HVO image.

This past week, Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake fluctuated in concert with summit inflation and deflation, with levels ranging 72 to 130 feet below the vent rim.

On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow remained active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna. The new lava delta is approximately 3.2 acres in size, extending about 328 feet from the sea cliff.

Scattered surface breakouts continue on the upper flow field just downslope of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. The 61g flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.

Mauna Loa is not erupting.

GPS measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone.

No significant changes in volcanic gas emissions were measured.

During the past week, only a few small-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath the volcano, primarily in the south caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone at depths less than 3 miles.

A few earthquakes also occurred on the west flank of the volcano at depths of less than 8 miles.

Two earthquakes were reported felt on the Island of Hawaiʻi during the past week.

On June 21, at 10:09 a.m. HST, a magnitude-4.5 earthquake occurred 17 miles southeast of Hawaiian Ocean View 24 miles deep.

On June 19, at 06:43 a.m. HST, a magnitude-2.5 earthquake occurred 6 miles southeast of Leilani Estates.

The Volcano Activity Update is a weekly article written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.

Call for summary updates at (808) 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or (808) 967-8866 (Mauna Loa); email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.