#SO2

“Inflation of the summit following the shutdown indicates that a resumption in activity is possible in the coming days, but not certain,” said Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in its daily Kīlauea update just after 9:30 a.m. today.

Vigorous fountaining from vents in the southwest corner of Halemaʻmaʻu Crater within Kaluapele, the volcano’s summit caldera, rapidly died down a few minutes just before 11 a.m. Lava then began draining back into tthe vent at nearly the same time summit tiltmeters started recording a change from deflation to inflation.

While there is no sign of an imminent eruption, increased inflation and earthquake activity are expected to precede eruptive activity.

Volcanic gases are an important part of eruptions—they help magma to rise within the earth and erupt, they can tell us how much lava is being erupted, and the volcanic air pollution (vog) they cause can be a hazard.