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Report on Kilauea (United States) — 11 October-17 October 2006


Kilauea

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 11 October-17 October 2006
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2006. Report on Kilauea (United States) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 11 October-17 October 2006. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (11 October-17 October 2006)

Kilauea

United States

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


The summit of Kilauea continued to slowly inflate S of Halema'uma'u caldera during 11-17 October. Incandescence from surface flows was intermittently visible on the pali and at the base of the pali on 14 October. Lava from the Campout and PKK systems continued to flow off of a lava delta into the ocean at the East Lae'apuki and East Ka'ili'ili entries. Two large earthquakes (largest, M 6.7) occurred on 15 October on the northwest side of Hawai'i Island. On 16 October, HVO reported that the earthquakes did not affect the Kilauea eruption.

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)