The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported that the eruption at Kilauea that began at 0220 on 23 December paused on 3 January. Lava continued to erupt during 1-3 January from two vents located at the SW margin of Halema’uma’u Crater within the Kaluapele summit caldera. The vents produced lava fountains that rose 20-30 m above the vents. Lava flows advanced in a broad fan that covered the western portion of the crater floor; flow advancement had increased during the previous few days. Sulfur dioxide emissions remained elevated, averaging around 30,000 tonnes per day on 2 January. An automatic laser rangefinder pointing at an area of the crater floor measured a drop of about 3 m during 0800-1000 on 2 January as a result of a lava dam in the N part of the lake collapsing. At 1416 parts of the more northern vent cone collapsed and activity ceased at the vent. Lava fountains from the active S vent rose 20-30 m during 2-3 January and fed flows that covered most of the crater floor and down-dropped block. By 3 January the crater floor had risen 1 m based on laser rangefinder data. At around 2040 both fountaining and lava-flow effusion ceased at the S vent, and tremor levels also decreased. The crater floor dropped a total of 3 m by 4 January. No lava erupted from the vents during 4-7 December, though lava on the crater floor continued to move and overturn, exposing molten incandescent surfaces. The incandescence on the crater floor began to diminish on 5 January. Sulfur dioxide emissions remained at elevated levels and a plume was visible rising above the crater rim. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch (the third level on a four-level scale) and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the third color on a four-color scale).

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)