(BIVN) – Seismicity and ground deformation remain low at the summit of Kīlauea, and there is no erupting lava visible anywhere on the volcano. Although scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory are hesitant to call the eruption “over”, there are questions that remain.
On Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey posted video of the recent talk entitled “What on Earth is going on at Kilauea Volcano?”
The August 30 talk featured USGS research geophysicist Kyle Anderson, who detailed the events that began in May which led to what scientists called the first significant summit explosions in nearly a century, the largest summit collapse volume since at least 1800, voluminous fissure eruptions feeding channelized lava flow, and unparalleled new opportunities for understanding the volcanic system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSF6UZ0Mh5E
According to Monday’s update on Kīlauea Volcano’s lower East Rift Zone, “a small collapse pit formed within the fissure 8 cone over the past day, exposing hot material underneath and producing an increase in incandescence. No surface flow was associated with this event,” the USGS reported. “Small lava flows have been observed within the fissure 8 cone, however none have extended outside the walls of the cone.”
“Small collapses continue to occur at Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater, producing visible brown plumes,” USGS said. “The rate of inflationary tilt recorded by a nearby tiltmeter has slowly decreased over the past day and another tiltmeter in the East Rift Zone is also showing a slight decrease in inflationary tilt. However, there is no change in seismicity rate at this time. We will continue to watch these data for changes.”
by Big Island Video News10:37 pm
on at
STORY SUMMARY
HAWAII ISLAND - USGS research geophysicist Kyle Anderson says scientists will have to revisit their models after the latest eruption at the summit and lower East Rift Zone.