(BIVN) – Kīlauea is not erupting, and the USGS Volcano Alert Level remains at ADVISORY. 

The Hawaiʻi island volcano continues to show “slightly elevated behavior since the end of the June 3 eruption”, scientists say.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported on Friday that elevated earthquake counts and rates of inflationary ground deformation is continuing in the summit and upper rift zones.

“Increases in seismicity and/or deformation could result in new eruptive episodes within or near the summit region,” the USGS HVO repeated. 

From the Friday (June 21) update:

Recent Eruption Site Observations: Kīlauea erupted briefly on Monday, June 3, southwest of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) within a closed area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Glow from fissure vents is no longer visible in webcam imagery. Seismic activity remains low beneath the eruption site. SO2 emissions from the eruption site have likely decreased since the most recent measurement of less than 350 tonnes per day on June 10, 2024. Current gas emissions are likely to be similar to background emission levels at the summit, which are 50-100 tonnes per day. Conditions make it difficult to accurately measure the output from the June 3 vents. Local SO2 concentrations within and nearby the vents may remain very high.

Above Top: Number of earthquakes per day during the past week (blue bars). The red line is the cumulative moment (energy) release. Bottom: Depth of earthquakes during the past week in the area shown on the map above. Depth is reported relative to sea level, which is equal to a depth of zero on the above plot. On both figures, circle-size represents magnitude, and color indicates depth. (USGS graphs)

Summit and Upper Rift Zone Observations:  Rates of seismicity beneath the summit and the upper East Rift Zone had sixty-four earthquakes over the past 24 hours, mostly beneath the south caldera region at depths of 1.5-3 km (1–1.8 miles), with magnitudes under M2.5. Ground deformation data at the summit shows resumed steady inflation. The Uēkahuna tiltmeter northwest of the summit levelled increased over the past 24 hours. The Sand Hill tiltmeter southwest of the summit recorded approximately 5 microradians of inflation over the past 24 hours. The most recent summit SO2 emission rate measured was approximately 50 t/d on June 10, 2024; accordingly, total SO2 emissions from the summit and recent eruption site are likely less than 200 t/d.

Lower Rift Zone Observations:  Rates of seismicity and ground deformation beneath the middle and lower East Rift Zone and lower Southwest Rift Zone are low. Eruptive activity and unrest have been restricted to the summit and upper rift zone regions. Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone remain below detection limits for SO2, indicating that SO2 emissions from Puʻuʻōʻō are negligible.

Analysis: Following the June 3 eruption, magma has been repressurizing the storage system beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south caldera region, activating earthquakes in the upper East Rift Zone and in the caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu. At this time, it is not possible to say whether this increase in activity will lead to an intrusion or an eruption in the near future, or simply continue as seismic unrest at depth. Changes in the character and location of unrest can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption, but there are no signs of imminent eruption at this time.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says it will continue to issue daily updates for Kīlauea volcano.