Kīlauea Volcano Eruption Update
Current Conditions
Courtesy of USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 8:38 AM HST
View of the volcano from the eruption viewing area along Old Crater Rim Drive. NPS Photo/J.WeiActivity Summary: The summit eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, has diminished in vigor this morning. Lava effusion has slowed in association with summit deflation that began just before midnight. These trends suggest that the summit eruption is heading into another pause. All recent lava activity has been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater, and there are no indications of the eruption migrating elsewhere on Kīlauea.
Halemaʻumaʻu Lava Lake Observations: Effusion of lava from the western vent within Halemaʻumaʻu crater has been slowing this morning, and the active lava lake in the western portion of the crater has been stagnating. Before the slowdown, activity yesterday included multiple, intermittent ooze-outs of lava along the northern and eastern margins of the crater; some of these ooze-outs remain weakly active at this time. Additionally, a small spatter cone—less than 6 meters (20 feet) tall—near the eastern end of the crater was erupting lava fountains up to approximately 10 meters (33 feet) in height for several hours last night, before shutting down early this morning. These lava fountains fed a short lava flow that was contained near the eastern margin of the crater.
While stagnating, the surface of the active lava lake has also dropped about 9 meters (30 feet) since 11 p.m. HST last night, in association with summit deflation and presumably reflecting a decrease in lava supply. As of 8 a.m. HST this morning, the active lava lake is approximately 81 meters (266 feet) deep relative to when lava emerged on September 29, 2021. Measurements on January 25 indicated that the total lava volume effused since the beginning of the eruption was approximately 45 million cubic meters (12.0 billion gallons) at that time.
Summit Observations: Summit tiltmeters began tracking deflationary tilt just before midnight. The rate has slowed so far this morning, but summit deflation continues at this time. Volcanic tremor associated with the eruption has also dropped off and presently continues at reduced strength, while earthquake activity in the summit region remains below background level. A sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 4,500 tonnes per day (t/d) was measured yesterday, February 1, when eruptive activity was more vigorous than this morning.
Photo courtesy of USGS East Rift Zone Observations: No unusual activity has been noted in the Kīlauea East Rift Zone. Low rates of ground deformation and seismicity continue along the East Rift Zone, and along the Southwest Rift Zone. SO2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions from Puʻuʻōʻō, in the middle East Rift Zone, were below instrumental detection levels when last measured on January 7, 2021.
Hazard Analysis: This eruption at Kīlauea's summit is occurring within a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Therefore, high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects downwind. Large amounts of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)—are continuously released during eruptions of Kīlauea volcano. As SO2 is released from the summit, it reacts in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) that has been observed downwind of Kīlauea. Vog creates the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damages agricultural crops and other plants, and affects livestock.
Additional hazards include Pele's hair and other lightweight volcanic glass fragments from lava fountains that will fall downwind and dust the ground within a few hundred meters (yards) of the erupting fissure vent(s). Strong winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation.
Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of the rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since early 2008.
Learn more about vog and current conditions.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to closely monitor Kīlauea volcano.
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