"Although Kīlauea did not erupt during May, the fissure system for the 1983 E rift zone eruption was still active. Incandescent fissures with temperatures around 800°C were present at both vents that erupted from 28 March to 9 April (08:3-4). Steady slow dilation, averaging slightly less than 1 mm/day, was measured across the fissure system from Pu'u Kahaualea (near active vents about 17 km E of the summit caldera rim). Weak harmonic tremor continued throughout the month. These data suggest that slow intrusion was sustaining the feeder, and resumption of eruptive activity is possible."

Addendum: Eruptive activity accompanied by gradually increasing harmonic tremor resumed at about 0800 on 13 June, from the 28-30 March vent (near Pu'u Kamoamoa) about 15 km ESE of the summit caldera rim. Lava fountains 20-30 m high fed a flow that moved SE over the 28-30 March lava, along the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park boundary. The summit tiltmeter showed a deflation rate of 1 µrad per 6 hours. Moderately high and very steady harmonic tremor was recorded in the vicinity of the vent as the eruption continued 14 June.

Geological Summary. Kilauea overlaps the E flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano in the island of Hawaii. Eruptions are prominent in Polynesian legends; written documentation since 1820 records frequent summit and flank lava flow eruptions interspersed with periods of long-term lava lake activity at Halemaumau crater in the summit caldera until 1924. The 3 x 5 km caldera was formed in several stages about 1,500 years ago and during the 18th century; eruptions have also originated from the lengthy East and Southwest rift zones, which extend to the ocean in both directions. About 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is formed of lava flows less than about 1,100 years old; 70% of the surface is younger than 600 years. The long-term eruption from the East rift zone between 1983 and 2018 produced lava flows covering more than 100 km2, destroyed hundreds of houses, and added new coastline.

Information Contacts: R. Decker, E. Wolfe, A. Okamura, R. Koyanagi, and J. Nakata, HVO.