USGS scientists use an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS or drone) to fly a MultiGas instrument along Kīlauea Volcano’s Lower East Rift Zone to determine concentrations of volcanic gases in small plumes rising from the now inactive fissures. The UAS is barely visible in the distance, just to the upper left of fissure 21 (larger cone at right). The Fissure 21 cone is visible in the far right background.
Kīlauea is not erupting. Low rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week.
Earthquakes continue to occur primarily at Kīlauea’s summit area and south flank, with continued small aftershocks of the May 4, 2018, magnitude-6.9 quake.
Seismicity remains low in the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ).
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Deformation signals are consistent with slow refilling the middle ERZ. At the summit, tiltmeters showed little significant change this week.
Hazardous conditions still exist at both the LERZ and summit. Residents in the lower Puna District and Kīlauea summit areas on the Island of Hawaiʻi should stay informed and heed Hawai‘i County Civil Defense closures, warnings and messages.
The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL.
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No Hawai‘i earthquakes received three or more felt reports (minimum to be recounted here) this past week.
The “Kīlauea 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 [email protected].
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