Report on Kilauea (United States) — 28 March-3 April 2007
Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 28 March-3 April 2007
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2007. Report on Kilauea (United States) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 28 March-3 April 2007. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
Kilauea
United States
19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
During 28 March-3 April, lava from Kilauea continued to flow across a lava delta into the ocean at the Kamokuna entry. Lava was not seen entering the ocean at the East Lae'apuki entry. During 28-29 March, a more than usual number of earthquakes were located near the Halema'uma'u and Koko'olau craters and on the S flank. Incandescence was intermittently visible from several breakouts on the Pulama pali and from several vents in Pu'u 'O'o's crater. On 31 March, a major lava breakout from the Campout flow caused trees to ignite on a near-by kipuka (an "island" of vegetation) and produced small explosions from trapped gas.
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)