Due to the US Government shutdown, the Smithsonian is temporarily closed. The Global Volcanism Program website will remain available but will not be monitored or updated. Status updates will be available on the Smithsonian homepage.
Logo link to homepage

Report on Kilauea (United States) — 29 August-4 September 2018


Kilauea

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 29 August-4 September 2018
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2018. Report on Kilauea (United States) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 29 August-4 September 2018. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (29 August-4 September 2018)

Kilauea

United States

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


HVO reported a break in visible lava activity at Kilauea’s Fissure 8 during 26-31 August. On 1 September incandescence at Fissure 8 was evident in the afternoon; spattering from a small area produced lava flows that slowly covered the 15 x 65 m crater floor by the evening. Lava continued to fill the Fissure 8 crater on 3 September. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

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)