Kīlauea

Posted on October 8, 2021

Updated: March 20, 2023

A large crustal foundering event in Kīlauea’s ongoing Halema‘uma‘u eruption occurred in the late afternoon on October 6, 2021. This photo was taken from the northwest crater rim looking east across the lava lake. USGS Photo: K. Lynn

Lava continues to erupt from two vents at the Kīlauea volcano on Hawai’i Island. One of the vents is located along the floor and one is located in the western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

All lava activity remains confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Seismicity and volcanic gas emission rates remain elevated.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that over the past 24 hours, the lava lake level rose approximately 3 feet with a total rise of about 105 feet since lava emerged on Sept. 29 as part of the latest eruption.

The total thickness of lava filling Halemaʻumaʻu is now 846 feet with a lake surface elevation of approximately 2,543 feet above sea level, according to the HVO.

The HVO reports that the west vent continues to have the most vigorous fountain with sustained lava fountain heights of about 39 feet.

Scientists with the HVO say ground deformation motion suggests that the upper East Rift Zone—between the summit and Puʻuʻōʻo—has been steadily refilling with magma over the past year.

The current volcano alert level is WATCH, and the aviation color code is ORANGE.

The west vent fountain in Kīlauea’s ongoing Halema‘uma‘u eruption was 12 m (39 ft) above the lava lake surface in the late afternoon of October 6, 2021. This photo was taken by USGS geologist K. Lynn from the northwest rim of Halema‘uma‘u looking south.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory KWcam at Kīlauea’s summit has captured changes within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, at Kīlauea’s summit, due to the eruption that began on Sept. 29, 2021. At approximately 3:21 p.m., HST, new fissures opened at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. These fissures opened east of the large island near the center of the lava lake that was active within Halemaʻumaʻu crater from December 2020 until May 2021. The first image was taken on Sept. 29, 2021, just before the eruption began; the second image was taken the morning of Oct. 7, 2021, just after 6 a.m. HST. USGS webcam images.

Original source: https://mauinow.com/2021/10/07/%e2%80%afkilauea/

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