Hawai'i Volcano Blog
Volcano Watch — New Year’s Eve 1974: Kīlauea’s most recent Southwest Rift Zone eruption
HVO continues to monitor unrest in the summit and Southwest Rift Zone regions of Kīlauea, with increased rates of earthquakes and ground deformation indicating magma is moving in the area
Volcano Watch: A pupu platter of earthquakes
Thousands of earthquakes occur every year in Hawaiʻi. These earthquakes are monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and fall into three main classes: volcanic, tectonic and mantle.
Volcano Watch: Sniffing out stealthy gas escape between Kīlauea’s eruptions
There is another type of gas besides sulfur dioxide that can be important during non-eruptive periods — carbon dioxide.
Big Islanders remember the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption — its first in 38 years
The 13,681-foot-tall Hawaiian shield volcano erupted for the first time in 38 years the night of Nov. 27, 2022, producing lava flows from several fissures on the mountain’s northeast flank and lava fountains reaching as high as 200 feet at times
Volcano Watch – Explosive eruptions from Kīlauea: beneficial or dangerous depending on location
Many such explosions resulted from the interaction of magma with groundwater or surface water; others apparently were powered by pressurized gas possibly aided by steam but with no direct involvement of magma.
Volcano Watch: Volcano monitoring can be a risky business: How scientists work safely
Most of HVO’s field sites are more than one hour from definitive medical care, so staff take Wilderness First Aid training which prepares them for a variety of injuries and illnesses.
Volcano Watch: Fostering prepared youths on the natural hazards of backyard volcanoes
One noteworthy collaboration is with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and the Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes.
Moderate levels of seismicity continue at Kīlauea summit
The Big Island volcano is not erupting; however, unrest associated with an intrusion of magma began in early October and has waxed and waned since
Volcano Watch: What’s shaking beneath Mauna Loa?
It’s hard to believe that nearly one year has passed since Mauna Loa last erupted. But a small increase in seismic activity in late October 2023 reminds us that the Big Island volcano remains active.
Volcano Watch – Not just polka dots: the hidden dance of processing GPS data
Scientists have come to depend on daily GPS positions to monitor changes in the shape of volcanoes and understand magma storage and movement underground.
Kīlauea volcano not erupting despite unrest
The summit of Kīlauea remains at a high level of inflation and eruptive activity is possible in the coming weeks or months.
Volcano Watch: Unrest continues at Kīlauea Summit
A series of earthquake swarms began suddenly at Kīlauea’s summit on October 4, 2023.
HVO: Unclear if unrest at Big Island’s Kīlauea volcano will continue as activity diminishes again
While there is no sign of an imminent eruption, increased inflation and earthquake activity are expected to precede eruptive activity.
Noted geophysicist, former scientist-in-charge at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Jim Kauahikaua dies
Known for his iconic beard and ponytail and affectionately called Dr. Jim by many, Kauahikaua joined the Big Island volcano observatory’s staff in 1988. He became scientist-in-charge, the first Native Hawaiian to serve in the position, in 2004 and served 10 years in the post until he stepped down in March 2015 and rotated back to his former position.
Earthquakes beneath southern part of Kīlauea caldera ramp back up
According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, an increase in earthquakes, from 23 per day on Monday, to 136 were recorded in the past 24 hours.
Earthquakes beneath Kīlauea summit dramatically decrease
According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, there has been a dramatic drop in earthquakes, from a peak of over 250 per day last week, to only 23 recorded in the past 24 hours.
Activity at Kīlauea summit decreases dramatically, suggesting recent intrusive event coming to an end
There’s been a dramatic decrease in earthquakes and summit tiltmeters also recorded a change in tilt magnitude and direction during the past several days.
Activity seems to have leveled off as episodes of unrest in Kīlauea’s south summit region continue
The Uēkahuna summit tiltmeter north of the Big Island volcano’s caldera recorded a flat trend during the past 24 hours, with the Sand Hill tiltmeter just south of the caldera displaying the same.
Volcano Watch: The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut and the earthquake energy budget
The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut is an annual event for kamaʻāina and visitors alike to practice and prepare for when a large damaging earthquake hits the Hawaiian Islands.
Unrest continues in south summit area of Kīlauea
According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, an eruption of the Big Island volcano in the region from Halemaʻumaʻu crater south to the December 1974 vents could emerge with little notice.
