Volcanic Activity Report on Kīlauea (United States) — 27 April-3 May 2016

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 27 April-3 May 2016
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2016. Report on Kīlauea (United States) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 27 April-3 May 2016. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey. https://volcano.si.edu/showreport.cfm?gvpvar=GVP.WVAR20160427-332010

Kīlauea

United States

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)

HVO reported that seismicity beneath Kīlauea's summit, upper East Rift Zone, and Southwest Rift Zone was at background levels during 27 April-3 May. The lava lake continued to circulate and eject spatter in the Overlook vent. Webcams recorded outgassing from multiple spatter cones on the Puʻu ʻŌʻō Crater floor. A small lava flow from the E vent flowed onto the crater floor during 28 April-1 May. The June 27th NE-trending lava flow continued to be active within 5.7 km NE of Puʻu ʻŌʻō Crater.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)

Geological Summary. Kīlauea overlaps the E flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano in the Island of Hawaiʻi. 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 Halemaʻumaʻu 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.