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Report on Kilauea (United States) — 2 January-8 January 2002


Kilauea

Smithsonian / US Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report,
2 January-8 January 2002
Managing Editor: Gari Mayberry

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2002. Report on Kilauea (United States). In: Mayberry, G (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 2 January-8 January 2002. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (2 January-8 January 2002)

Kilauea

United States

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


During the week lava continued to flow into the ocean at the Kamoamoa ocean entry. Surface lava was visible on the coastal flat and lava that began to flow on the W side of Kamoamoa caused the lava bench to grow. Slow deflation at the summit (up to 2.3 microradians) occurred on 1 December during noon to around 2300. The next day during 1210-1950 the summit inflated 1.6 microradians. The deformation was not accompanied by a change in seismicity. Generally, volcanic tremor was moderate at Pu`u `O`o and the ongoing swarm of small long-period earthquakes continued at Kilauea's summit. After the period of deflation and inflation no significant deformation was recorded.

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)