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Report on Kilauea (United States) — 8 June-14 June 2016


Kilauea

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 8 June-14 June 2016
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2016. Report on Kilauea (United States) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 8 June-14 June 2016. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (8 June-14 June 2016)

Kilauea

United States

19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


HVO reported that during 8-14 June the lava lake continued to rise and fall, circulate, and spatter in Kilauea's Overlook vent. A new lava flow that began on 24 May on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's N flank had stalled; a new flow on the E flank had advanced 3.3 km SE along the National Park boundary by 10 June, and was about halfway to the top of Pulama pali. Vents on the crater floor and upper NE flank remained incandescent, and a pit just W of the crater contained a small lava pond. The June 27th NE-trending lava flow appeared to be inactive by 10 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.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)