Hawai‘i Volcano Activity Update: Nov. 2, 2017

Kilauea’s Summit, view from the Jaggar Museum. Photo by Jamilia Epping.

This past week, Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level fluctuated with summit inflation and deflation, ranging about 95 to 108 feet below the vent rim. On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow remained active, with lava reaching the Kamokuna delta and surface breakouts downslope of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. The 61g flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Small-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath the summit caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone, mostly at depths less than 3 miles, with some deeper events at depths of 3 to 8 miles. GPS and satellite radar measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone. No significant changes in volcanic gas emissions were measured.

One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred on the Island of Hawaiʻi during the past week: A magnitude-2.4 earthquake occurred 2.5 miles ESE of Leilani Estates at 1.2 miles depth on October 29, 2017.

Please visit the HVO website for past Volcano Watch articles, volcano updates and photos, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates at (808) 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or (808) 967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

“Hawai‘i 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.