Logo link to homepage

Report on Kilauea (United States) — 24 October-30 October 2007


Kilauea

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 24 October-30 October 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, 24 October-30 October 2007. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (24 October-30 October 2007)

Kilauea

United States

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


HVO reported that during 24-30 October fissure segment D from Kilauea's 21 July fissure eruption continued to feed an advancing lava flow that frequently overflowed its channel edges. Aerial observations on 26 October confirmed that a tube-fed pahoehoe flow along the N margin of the main channel advanced 2.4 km from the channel end. A few small earthquakes were located beneath Halema'uma'u crater, and along the lower SW rift zone and S flank faults during the reporting period. Tremor remained low below the summit and Pu'u 'O'o crater.

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)