#Kilauea volcano

A team of scientists from Aotearoa New Zealand teamed up with scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in December 2022 to carry out a small pilot study of atmospheric corrosion rates on the Island of Hawai‘i.

While there were several summit eruptions at Kīlauea during the decade, including one that lasted more than 8 months, eruptions along the East Rift Zone — mainly in the upper and middle portions — were much more frequent.

While scenarios such as a new pit crater forming in the Chain of Craters or large seaward movement of the volcano’s south flank are less likely, current conditions provide an excellent opportunity to better understand what can happen in the long run.

Firefighters continue to suppress the 78-acre Makaopuhi Fire in the remote middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea volcano south of Nāpau Crater inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. It is 70% contained and poses no threats to homes or structures.

The remote 78-acre Makaopuhi Fire was ignited by the Sept. 15 eruption of Kīlauea volcano. Fire activity has increased because of a lack of rainfall, low humidity and wind.

While access has been restored to additional locations inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources natural reserve land, several spots remain shuttered because of volcanic and wildfire-related hazards.

Data from 115 seismic nodes deployed in late June across Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone, fortuitously before significant unrest began, will be used to image the location and volume of magma within the region at a level of detail not previously possible.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports “all observable and instrumental signs of potential for renewed eruptive activity have declined”; only a couple of intermittent small spots of residual glow could be detected on the flow field Sunday night and weak degassing continues.

Eruption that started Sunday night now paused after covering more than 156 acres of Nāpau Crater and areas to the west.

Now in its fourth phase of vent opening and lava production, the current phase is the eruption’s largest to date. Fountaining remained strong at the new vent site as of just before 10:30 a.m. today as observed on the S2 webcam.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park made the decision after another heightened period of unrest began earlier this week as earthquake activity increased in the upper East Rift Zone, which continued into this morning, albeit at a much lesser rate.

The unrest could represent another pulse of magma being supplied to the upper East Rift Zone following the intrusive event July 22-25 near Pauahi Crater.

The observatory’s tower on the edge of the Kīlauea caldera inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be demolished today after work was postponed from Thursday. It is the last remnants of the former observatory and museum complex that was closed after it was damaged beyond repair in 2018 during the 2018 eruption, lava flow and summit eruption of the Big Island volcano.

“The pulsing nature of this activity may represent stages in intrusive activity beneath the upper East Rift Zone region. Additional seismic pulses or swarms may occur with little or no warning and result in either continued intrusion of magma or eruption of lava.” — Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials

With the assistance of a helicopter, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists are working to upgrade a sesimic monitoring station on hardened black lava covering the crater floor near Uēaloha (Byron Ledge) of Kīlauea.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported this morning that quake counts from the past 24 hours beneath the caldera and upper East Rift Zone decreased by about 65%.

While the lava flow has ceased, air quality levels are slightly elevated at the Pāhala and Nāʻālehu air quality monitoring stations.

About 140 of the temblors from Monday to Tuesday morning were located in the upper East Rift Zone, from Keanakākoʻi crater to the intersection with Hilina Pali Road. The other 90 were located in the caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu.

The magma intrusion in and southwest of the Big Island volcano’s summit appears to have slowed and seismicity in the same area has quieted significantly since Friday.

Areas accessed by Chain of Craters Road, including coastal backcountry sites, Kulanaokuaiki Campground, Keanakākoʻi and the Devastation Trail and parking area, are now open.