Photos, Videos: Kīlauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone

The U.S. Geological Survey released these photos and a video on Sunday, June 17, 2018, and announces that the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption in Leilani Estates continues with little change.

VC: Crystal Richards

Fountains as high as 165 feet rise from the Fissure 8 spatter cone and continue to feed lava into the well-established channel that flows to the ocean at Kapoho. Occasionally, minor amounts of lava briefly spill over the channel levees. The ocean entry remained fairly broad with laze blown onshore. Fissures 16/18 continue to ooze lava. Incandescence (visible in PGcam to the left of fissure 8 most nights) and mild spattering were observed from Fissure 6. The flow field is relatively stable with little change to its size and shape for the past few days.

VC: Malika Dudley

Pele’s hair and other lightweight volcanic glass fragments from the lava fountain at Fissure 8 continue to fall downwind of the fissure, dusting the ground within a few hundred yards of the vent. High winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents are urged to minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation similar to volcanic ash.

Morning overflight of Kīlauea Volcano’s lower East Rift Zone by the Civil Air Patrol provides context for the location of the fissure 8 fountain and lava channel within the lower Puna District.

View is to the north. Image courtesy of Civil Air Patrol. Click to enlarge.

The fissure 8 lava fountain pulses to heights of 165 feet within a cinder spatter cone.

Fissure 8 feeds lava into the well-established channel that flows to the ocean. Click to enlarge.

In this video taken from the Leilani Estates subdivision, lava at fissure 8 pulses above the cinder cone adding fragments of lava (spatter) that build the cone higher.

From fissure 8, lava flows freely over small cascades (rapids) into a well-established channel. Near the vent, lava is traveling about 15 miles per hour. Lava slows to about 1.5 miles per hour near the ocean entry at Kapoho.

Occasionally, minor amounts of lava briefly spill over the lava channel levees. The spill overs are the shiny gray lobes along the channel margins.

View to the east, with the plume in the upper right showing the location of the ocean entry. Click to enlarge.

The lava flow field has been relatively stable with little change to its size and shape over the past few days.

Lava enters the ocean entry in the vicinity of Vacationland, producing a vigorous laze plume.

Lava flowing into the ocean has built a delta of flows, rock rubble and black sand, which is over 320 acres in size. Click to enlarge.

Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halema‘uma‘u continues in response to ongoing subsidence at the summit. Sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano’s summit have dropped to levels that are about half those measured prior to the onset of the current episode of eruptive activity.

The view is from Volcano House, looking toward the west.

This gas and very minor amounts of ash are being transported downwind, with small bursts of ash and gas accompanying intermittent explosive activity.