No signs of imminent eruption at Kīlauea despite continued unrest, experts say

Heightened seismic unrest beneath the Kīlauea summit continued over the past day. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, it is impossible to say whether this increase in activity will lead to an intrusion or an eruption, or simply continue as seismic unrest at depth.

“Changes in the character and location of unrest can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption, but there are no signs of imminent eruption at this time,” HVO reports.

According to HVO’s report Tuesday morning, the unrest is primarily in the form of intermittent low-frequency energy signals typical of magma movement. The number of individual earthquakes remained low, with less than 10 events detected.

Depths of the tumblers averaged 0.6–1.9 miles beneath the surface, with magnitudes below M2.0. Ground deformation continued at low rates beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south caldera region over the past day.

Magma has been pressurizing the system beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south caldera region, activating seismicity in the upper East Rift Zone, and in the caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu. At this time, it is impossible to say whether this increase in activity will lead to an intrusion or an eruption in the near future, or simply continue as seismic unrest at depth.

Changes in the character and location of unrest can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption, but there are no signs of imminent eruption at this time.

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter northwest of the summit recorded overall minor inflation. The Sand Hill tiltmeter southwest of the summit also recorded overall minor inflation. Sulfur dioxide gas emission rates remain low. An SO2 emission rate of approximately 61 tonnes per day was recorded on May 21.

Rates of seismicity beneath the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone are low. Rates of ground deformation are low. Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone remain below detection limits for SO2, indicating that SO2 emissions from Puʻuʻōʻō are negligible.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory will provide daily updates while Kīlauea volcano is in a heightened state of unrest.