By David Corrigan and Stephanie Salazar

[Video courtesy USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory]

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: January is Volcano Awareness Month on Hawaii Island and 2012 also marks the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

So why not share some of the latest mesmerizing lava lake video, from the fiery pit of Halemau’ma’u on the summit of Kilauea.

This footage shows vigorous spattering along the south margin of the Halema`uma`u lava lake. Lava is upwelling in the northern portion of the lake which is out of view, and slowly migrates to this southern margin where it sinks back into the conduit.

According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s Kilauea status report for Thursday the spattering sink on the southeastern edge of lake continued building a small spatter rampart and feeding very small lava flows on the inner ledge. The lava level is estimated to be 260 feet below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater.

The HVO also says the most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,500 tonnes per day on January 22… new measurements must await the return of moderate trade winds, scientists say.

By David Corrigan and Stephanie Salazar

[Video by David Corrigan]

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: Sunday’s series of minor earthquakes happened in roughly the same region where the day before, some of the United State’s Geological Survey’s top scientists were gathered in celebration.

This weekend was the official open house in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Thomas A. Jaggar, Jr., arrived on Kilauea and took over the continuous study of Hawaii’s active volcanoes on January 17, 1912 — the date is often noted as the founding of HVO, America’s first volcano observatory.

Located on the rim of the Kīlauea Volcano’s summit caldera next to Jaggar Museum in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the observatory is usually closed to the public.

But on January 21, the observatory was open for public tours, with special exhibits and demonstrations. The National Park Service granted free admission to the park in honor of the obervatory’s centennial.

Strong wind gusts blustered during the opening remarks, as dignitaries from across the country paid homage to the work done by observatory geologists, past and present…

Then, once the maile lei was untied, it was time for the tour.

Scientists showed the public around the numerous rooms where computers and seismic equipment monitor the active volcano every minute of the day.

The public even got a chance to see the view from above… a look out over the caldera from the observation tower.

The U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Water & Science, Anne Castle, was on hand for the day’s events. She spoke to Big Island Video News about the important resource that is the observatory.

It wasnt just scientists and curious adults getting into the centennial spirit. An HVO hosted a poster contest for Hawaii Island 4th grade students was also held. The Grand Prize poster, rendered by Waiakeawaena Elementary School student Jyron Young, as well as other winning posters were displayed at HVO’s open house. Winning students were also honored on the same day, and given prizes for their work. All posters entered in the contest will be displayed at KTA stores in Hilo, Kamuela, and Kailua until February 10.

Video courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: The brave scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have shared another round of compelling volcano video.

The latest footage shows the most recent change to Kilauea’s eruption. The Pu’u O’o vent on the east rift zone is gushing lava from a fissure on ts upper southeast flank.

To set the stage, we turn to the USGS daily volcano update:

The fissure breakout that started Wednesday morning continued this morning. As of yesterday afternoon’s overflight, the `a`a flow had advanced another kilometer for a total advance of 3.7 km (2.3 mi) from Pu`u `O`o to the southeast within the Kahauale`a Natural Area Reserve. If the flows continue to advance, they will likely continue southeast, along the western edge of the Episode 58 (TEB) lava flow, toward Royal Gardens. In addition, a small pad of lava reactivated about 11:30 pm last night at the bottom of the drained eastern lava lake and small seeps were barely active at the west edge of Pu`u `O`o Crater.

This video is comprised of three parts. the first shows “the fast-moving upper section of the lava stream on the relatively steep eastern flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō,” HVO staff writes. “The video pans to the left to show the smaller lava stream eruption from the lower (eastern) end of the fissure.”

The second part shows the main lava stream on the lower east flank. At 13 feet across and 7 feet deep, rushing down hill at a speed of 10 feet per second, this stream carries most of the lava.

The last part of the video shows a 20 foot high lava cascade near the eastern base of Pu’u O’o. According to HVO, This is the same lava stream shown in the previous two videos. The lava stream continues on several hundred more meters (yards) before transitioning into rubbly pāhoehoe and ‘a‘ā and stalling well short of yesterday’s flow front, which is now inactive.”

HVO staff say that all erupted lava is within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or adjacent State land managed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

“If the eastern flows persist, they may pose a hazard to the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision in the coming days,” geologists say.

Video produced by David Corrigan and Tim Bryan, additional video courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, National Park Service, and Mick Kalber

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: Recently, we took a look back at the Kamoamoa fissure eruption on the east rift of Hawaii’s active Kilauea volcano, half a year after its short-lived show captivated the world.

On March 5th, the steady eruption at Kilauea volcano changed, after an incredible fissure tore the earth open on the middle east rift zone.

Before that moment, the public had known the eruption through its summit lava lake, an active ocean entry at Kalapana, and a restless Puu Oo crater in between.

Homes in the Kalapana Gardens subdivision were on alert, but when earthquakes on the rift zone began to rattle the area continually, it looked like a change was on the horizon.

There were several months of earthquakes, actually”, said Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge, Jim Kauahikaua (photo above right), six months after the event. ”Decent sized ones like magnitude 3 or so. But really, the sign that something started was the tilt. We have all most of important data streams alarmed so we get text messages or emails or something… one of our data streams is hooked up to an automatic dialer so it will call our phones in case the internet doesn’t work or something.”

“We all know what our jobs are”, said Kauahikaua. “Once everybody hears that an event is going on, we all look at our various data streams… the first thing that happened was that deflation tiltmeter on the north flank… and that kind of alerts you to look at the camera and see the floor’s kind of dropping out.”

A first hand account was published in a HVO Volcano Watch article shortly after the four day episode concluded:

HVO scientists were shaken out of their weekend routine when, at 1:42 p.m., on Saturday, March 5, 2011, the seismic tremor alarms started and, at 2:16 p.m., the floor of Pu`u `O`o crater began to collapse. A rapidly dispatched HVO overflight saw fountaining just west of Pu`u `O`o, beginning around 5:00 p.m. Then darkness fell, and the only way to observe what would happen next was to make the long hike out to the eruption site on foot. HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge decided that a small group of scientists, including me, should make that journey.

At 7:00 p.m., our group began hiking east from the Mauna Ulu parking lot, with headlamps illuminating the trail. The going was slow as we cast our beams ahead to find each successive ahu (rock cairn). Orange glow from the lava fountains in the distance provided a nighttime beacon.

The nine-mile hike took us past Mauna Ulu, then Makaopuhi Crater, through Napau Crater and across the cinder fields to the east. By this point, the glow was muted, and we came upon a cooling lava flow field devoid of any fountaining. Glow in the cracks, scattered brush fires, and several new steaming fissures testified to the recent activity, but otherwise it was disappointingly quiet.

After a time, we called in our report and started hiking back home. At 12:30 a.m. we reached Napau campsite and paused for a drink. Suddenly, we heard loud gas jetting through the trees, and the night sky to our east was lit up in brilliant orange.

From the western rim of Napau Crater, we could see that activity had resumed at the eruption site. A spectacular line of fountains, reaching above tree level, played for an hour, then rapidly died. We waited at the edge of Napau, huddled under tarps in the cold, for several hours to see what would happen next.

By 4:30 a.m., fountaining at the eruption site had resumed, and, within an hour, we were again at the eruption site. A cone had already been built, and small “strombolian” explosions were occurring in the cone’s crater. Strombolian activity, named after Stromboli Volcano in Italy, is characterized by small, pulsating explosions that are gas rich, with relatively sparse particles.

Observing from a safe distance, we recorded GPS position and ejecta height. The sight was eerie, with roaring lava bubbles bursting and casting incandescent particles in the darkness. Suddenly, a loud sound from the west started behind us, where we had just come from. Once again, gas jetting and bright glow alerted us to a new fissure. Now, unsettlingly, we had activity to the east and west of us.

We rapidly headed west to observe the new fountaining, as well as to ensure a safe escape route. Fortunately, the fountaining was well south of the trail. It consisted of a 100-m (330 ft) long line of fountains, with ejecta reaching 20 m (66 ft) in height.

At daybreak, the sky was lavender with sunrise and lava fountains continued to play at the western fissure in incandescent hues of red, orange and yellow. They fed a rapid lava flow that cascaded for several hours into a seemingly bottomless crack.

During the peak of activity, large clots of lava spatter were thrown 30 m (100 ft) into the air, building spatter ramparts around the base of the fountain. Gas-rushing and jetting sounds combined with the slapping and pounding of spatter as it hit the ground. Every hour we radioed the observatory with activity reports.

The eruption site was soon occupied by other busy HVO scientists conducting lava sampling and tracking gas chemistry to discern whether old or new magma fed the eruption. Others measured ground deformation to get a sense of the size of the dike feeding the eruption. Throughout the day, the vigor of the fountaining fluctuated and, more interestingly, moved back and forth across the fissure system. By afternoon, our water and energy were spent, and we headed back to HVO to file our reports.

A Webcam installed that day permitted HVO scientists to monitor the eruption site from the observatory, though fieldwork continued in subsequent days. Fountaining eventually ceased on Wednesday, March 9, and the Kamoamoa fissure eruption—amazing as it was—had ended.

PHOTO, above right: An early morning view of the fountaining we encountered at the western fissure on Sunday, March 6, at 7:20 a.m. Particles were thrown up to 15 m (50 ft) high at this point and the intensity and height increased over the next two hours.

When the first video of the March 5th Kamoamoa fissure was released, the world got a glimpse of the potential power of Kilauea, commonly known for its relatively peaceful eruption.

As geophysicist Mike Poland explained at a recent After Dark at the Park talk at the national park, this video captured by a heroic Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist was nearly more than was bargained for.

“So we sent out this geologist in this helicopter”, Poland told the crowd at the Kilauea Visitor Center. “And he overflew Pu’u O’o and he noticed that ‘yeah’ that cater floor is gone. But he didn’t notice anything else on his first pass.And then he was over Pu’u O’o and he and the pilot looked over their shoulders a little bit up the rift… and they saw a fissure eruption that had just started. So what did they do? Like any good geologist, he landed… and he took a video.”

The crowd gasped as they watched the video of a widening fissure crack, spewing lava, crumble away towards the filming geologist, who held his shot until it was obvious that it was time to run for his life.

The first journalist to capture the images of the Kamoamoa eruption: vulcanographer Mick Kalber… who brought the world this defining footage.

If video like this is still a thrill for a volcano veteran like Kalber, imagine what Marco Ernandes thought… seen here, flying this helicopter in the foreground. It was Ernandes’ first charter flight in Hawaiian volcano!

“Everybody was pretty happy for me to have that happen on my first day,” Ernandes told Big Island Video News in a phone interview.

That wouldn’t be Marco’s last look at a major eruptive event… He took Kalber up in the helicopter once again, a few months later, to help capture the comparable Puu Oo vent breakout in August.

With the incredible fissure eruption on the east rift zone, attention was diverted from Kailuea’s usual show at the summit.

But when the lava lake at Halemaumau drained away, some recalled the worst-case concerns of an explosive eruption. The disappearance was similar to the accounts of a lava lake draining in 1924 that resulted the violent summit event that killed one person and doubled the width of Halemaumau.

Or worse… the 1790 explosion that is believed to have killed over 80 Hawaiians travelling miles away.

Scientists say that thankfully, the events were different in a very important way.

A recent USGS HVO Volcano Watch article tackled the issue:

Geologists think that the explosive eruptions resulted as ground water entered the hot conduit emptied by the draining lava. The water was heated to steam but couldn’t escape passively, because rock-fall debris formed a pressure seal. Steam pressure had to build before it could explode through the seal. Unknown then was how deep the ground water was.

For more information about these dramatic events, see three articles on HVO’s Web site: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/1999/99_04_01.html, http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/1999/99_05_06.html, and http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/archive/2001_05_18.html

Now to March 5, 2011. Lava drained rapidly from the pit along the southeastern edge of Halema`uma`u. An intrusion (and eruption) took place on the middle east rift zone between Napau and Pu`u `O`o. Rock falls occurred from the walls of the emptying pit. In these ways—though faster and on a smaller scale—the events of 2011 resembled those of 1924.

Research since 1924 shows that the water table, below which rocks are saturated with water, is about 500 m (1,600 feet) under the present caldera floor. If lava were to drain below that depth, models suggest that ground water would enter the conduit and potentially trigger steam-driven explosions.

The depth from the caldera floor to the point where lava disappeared on March 9-10 was about 305 m (1,000 feet), 60 percent of the way to the water table. We don’t think the lava dropped much farther, though, because sounds of gas escaping the lava could be heard from the rim of Halema`uma`u, even when lava couldn’t be seen. On March 14, lava reappeared in the pit, accompanying summit inflation and ending the draining.

Aside from the lack of explosive eruptions this time, how did the 1924 and 2011 draining episodes differ? Perhaps the most important difference was that the crater’s floor collapsed in 1924, whereas only liquid drained in 2011, with relatively small rock falls from the walls of the pit and no floor collapse. In fact, a nearly flat platform, once drowned by lava, reappeared in the pit during the March draining and did not drop down in the next several days. Aside from the expected rock falls from the vertical and overhanging walls, the rest of the pit maintained its integrity pretty well.

These differences probably relate to scale. In 1924, a much larger volume of magma left the summit reservoir, and wholesale collapse was the outcome. Summit deflation in 2011 and the volume of lava that drained from the pit were small, by comparison, and no collapse took place.

Ironically, the narrow feeding conduit exposed by the 2011 draining probably increased the chance of another kind of explosion—one driven by gas escaping from the lava but trapped beneath rock-fall debris. Such debris could have choked the conduit, forcing gas to pressurize before breaking through. It didn’t happen this time, but something similar took place on March 19, 2008, when the first explosion since 1924 ushered in the ongoing Halema`uma`u eruption.

We are living in an uncertain time at Kilauea, but not a very explosive one. To hear about what one of those is like, come to the After Dark in the Park lecture on April 5 concerning the explosive eruption of 1790, the largest in the past 1,000 years.

Now that 6 months has passed, what do scientists have to say about the spectacular Kamoamoa fissure eruption?

If you are scientist in charge, Jim Kauahikaua… one word might be “cool”

“That one was cool…” said Jim, “I was out there in ’97 when the previous one occurred in that area… and that was only a little less than 24 hours. This one went on for four days. And that was part of the coolness, because we kinda knew what had happened in ’97, and we were right on it with the Kamoamoa fissure doing the mapping and sampling …. we really got a good data set.”

Data that, as geophysicist Mike Poland says, helps define what appears to be a definite pattern at Puu oo.

“One of my colleagues actually described this as the east rift zone had a conduit aneurysm”, said Polland. “We’re still sticking magma into Kilauea, and its go to go somewhere. And right now its filling Pu’u O’o. I said this a few times, and Im not afraid to say it again… this is only gonna end one way.”

Promising that the show is far from over at Kilauea Volcano.

Video courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

As we reported on Monday, the activity at the Pu’u O’o vent breakout may have slowed, but it is far from stopped.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists say the west flank vents remained active, feeding an elongate perched lava pond that extends to the southwest, which, in turn, fed a large `a`a flow that had advanced nearly to the west edge of the August 3rd lavas.

This overflight video taken by scientists on Monday shows there are several vents, topped by spatter cones – one a high as 20 feet – that are feeding narrow, fast-moving flows that feed into a broad area of ponded lava.

The active flows remained entirely within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and posed no direct hazard to any developed areas.

From the USGS-HVO August 10th Kilauea status update, the most recent information on the east rift zone eruption:

Lava continued to trickle into the deepest part of the collapsed crater floor; a new source on the south side of the collapsed floor joined the trickle and began to spatter weakly yesterday evening. The west flank vents remained active feeding an elongate perched lava pond that extended to the southwest (see images; yesterday, the west flank vents also fed a small flow which advanced a short distance northward before stalling yesterday evening. The active flows remained entirely within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and posed no direct hazard to any developed areas.

The GPS network around Pu`u `O`o Cone recorded slowing contraction across the cone. The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o Cone recorded continued deflation with a brief period of accelerated deflation from 9:30 am to 3 pm yesterday, about an hour after a similarly-brief accelerated deflation at the summit; this may be a DI tilt event. Seismic tremor levels were low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,700 tonnes/day on August 5, 2011, from all east rift zone sources.

Video by David Corrigan, Mick Kalber, and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: Hawaii Island is still buzzing over the new lava flow that broke out by the Puu Oo crater on Kilauea volcano last week.

Big Island Video News obtained this spectacular fly-over video, taken by Mick Kalber at sunset on the day the breakout first occurred.

We also caught up with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s Scientist-in-Charge, Jim Kauahikaua, to talk about the current phase of the eruption.

Kauahikaua said the lava effusion rate has slowed considerably since the August 3rd breakout, and detailed the latest event from a geologists perspective.

The latest volcano update, as 8:12 a.m. Hawaii Time, was posted by HVO on their website:

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents: Lava continued to trickle into the deepest part of the collapsed crater floor. The west flank vents remained active issuing short flows that advanced over lava emplaced since August 3rd; the western webcam showed southwest advancement of a channelized `a`a flow. The active flows remained entirely within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and posed no direct hazard to any developed areas.

The GPS network around Pu`u `O`o Cone recorded slowing contraction across the cone. The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o Cone recorded continued deflation. Seismic tremor levels were low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,700 tonnes/day on August 5, 2011, from all east rift zone sources.

Background: The eruption of Kilauea’s middle east rift zone started with a fissure eruption on January 3, 1983, and has continued with few interruptions through Pu`u `O`o Crater or vents within a few kilometers to the east or west. Since late March, lava has been filling the collapsed crater within Pu`u `O`o Cone, first building a perched lava lake that, in July, evolved into a shield with the lake at its top as a result of uplift of the crater floor and lake. In early August, the crater floor again collapsed to a depth of about 75 m (245 ft) below the east rim as lava burst from vents on the west flank of Pu`u `O`o cone.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The lava lake level stabilized at a low level and 15-minute fill-and-drain cycles started around 9 am yesterday, were in full swing 2 pm to 4 am this morning, and were finished by 6 am this morning; before and after this period, circulation was sluggish from southeast to northwest. Small rockfalls were frequent from the vent walls.

Kilauea summit is deflating: the summit tiltmeter network continued to record slowing deflation and the summit GPS network recorded contraction since August 3rd. Seismic tremor levels were generally low although strong bursts accompanied each draining at an interval of approximately 15 minutes. Six earthquakes were strong enough to be located within Kilauea volcano – three deep quakes beneath the area immediately west of the summit, two quakes beneath the summit caldera, and one on south flank faults.

The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 800 tonnes/day on August 5, 2011. Small amounts of ash-sized tephra, including fresh spatter bits, continued to be wafted within the plume and deposited on nearby surfaces.

Over the weekend, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, expecting an increase in visitors seeking a closer look, released this statement:

Park-goers on Thursday evening enjoyed views of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō’s west flank eruption from several spots. Rosy clouds of gas and ash were visible from the bottom of Chain of Craters Road looking up towards Pu‘u ‘Ô‘ô, where nearly 600 visitors gathered. At Pu‘u Huluhulu, hundreds of flashlight-wielding hikers made the two-and-a-half mile round-trip trek and were treated to a rare “double header” of lava activity: a deep orange glow from Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō’s advancing flows about six miles away, plus a reddish glow from Kīlauea’s summit eruption at Halema‘uma‘u crater about 12 miles away. Newly installed reflectors mark the trail, but hikers must have flashlights, drinking water and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes.

Spectators at Jaggar Museum overlook got the reverse view, a steady glow emitting from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, with views of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō’s new activity to the southeast.

Park rangers made several flights over the new flow, and estimate it has added approximately 615 acres of new lava.

“It’s an exciting and memorable time to visit Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and we’re expecting a busy weekend,” said Talmadge Magno, Chief Ranger and Incident Commander. “Safety is our first priority, but because of careful monitoring of fire smoke and SO2 levels, we were able to reopen Chain of Craters Road on Thursday, and viewing opportunities are safe and can be superb, weather permitting.”

Park rangers will be stationed at Pu‘u Huluhulu until 8:30 p.m. and at Jaggar Museum until 9 p.m. through the weekend.

At the same time, fire crews fought to control brushfires resulting from the new influx of lava. The National Park had this to say:

A wildfire, estimated at six acres total, was ignited by lava and burned through forests of native Hawaiian and alien vegetation. A small blaze on the southern branch of the flow was nearly contained Friday afternoon. Seven firefighters were flown in by helicopter, and used hand tools, chainsaws and water from 80-gallon bladder bags to suppress the fire.

Meanwhile, a multi-agency emergency response team mobilized at the Visitor Emergency Operations Center in the park, keeping close tabs on current eruption conditions and another fire, estimated at five acres, at the north stretch of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō’s flow.

Approximately 30 personnel from agencies including Hawai‘i County Civil Defense, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Fire Management team, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and Whiskeytown National Park were called into
action.

“Right now we’re not sending any crews into the fire to the north but will watch it closely. Conditions are too hazardous,” said Fire Management Officer Joe Molhoek. In addition to methane explosions and tree snags, giant earth cracks make the ground treacherous.

The fires, and the recent flows, are entirely within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. No residential areas are currently threatened.

Video courtesy the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

HAWAII VOLCANOES OBSERVATORY, Hawaii: It was 5 months ago when the world watched the Pu’u O’o crater collapse as the dramatic Kamoamoa fissure eruption tore open the earth on the east rift of Kilauea volcano.

Today, another lava breakout on the east rift in nearly the same area has been followed by another collapse, this time a drop of about 260 to 280 feet, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists.

HVO scientists say the video seen here “shows a timelapse sequence taken from the webcam on Pu`u `O`o’s north rim. The movie starts just after noon on August 3, with the typical westward flow of lava within the perched lava lake. Just after 2pm, breakouts start on the flank of the perched lava lake and the lake begins to drop. Remarkably, while the lake drops the circulation is maintained, until the lake finally disintegrates. By the end of the sequence, the lava lake is gone and floor has dropped about 80 meters (260 ft). Around 3:15pm, you can see a portion of the rim, at the very right end of the image, collapse into the crater.”

The second, thermal image video “shows a timelapse sequence taken from a thermal camera on the south rim of Pu`u `O`o, beginning just before noon on August 3. Just after 2pm, the lava lake and surrounding floor abruptly drop. As the lava lake drops, solidified portions of the crater floor slide into the fluid lava. By the end of the sequence, the floor of the crater is composed of only hot rubble and inclined blocks of the pre-existing crater floor. The temperature scale is degrees Celsius.”

The weekly Volcano Watch article, written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, helps to put things into perspective:

With volcanoes, we often learn by comparing current events with those of the past. We can even make limited forecasts based on past scenarios if they are sufficiently similar.

The August 3 collapse of the Pu`u `O`o crater floor, accompanied by the eruption of a high-volume lava flow from a vent on the cone’s west flank, is similar to other events on Pu`u `O`o during the past 20 years. For example, this week’s event is akin to the Mother’s Day event on May 12, 2002.

In early 2002, lava was intermittently active in several small pits within the Pu`u `O`o crater floor, and tubes fed lava flows down Kilauea’s south flank, destroying one house in the Royal Gardens subdivision, 6 km (4 mi) away. Throughout the spring, Pu`u `O`o activity slowly increased, resulting in two brief surges of lava within the crater in April. Early in the month, lava ponded in a pit immediately west of Pu`u `O`o Crater. This pit eventually overflowed, producing a lava flow that advanced 800 m (0.5 mi) to the south-southeast. Then, at the end of April, lava erupting from the east half of the crater floor filled Pu`u `O`o to within 12 m (40 ft) of its east rim.

Subdued activity continued until the morning of May 12, 2002—Mother’s Day. At 7:40 a.m., HST, a tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o began recording rapid inflation. About an hour later, high-volume lava flows gushed from two vents 100 m (300 ft) apart on the west flank of Pu`u `O`o cone. Lava first traveled west, then turned to the southwest, and advanced along the edge of previous flows, sparking the largest forest fire from Kilauea’s east rift zone eruption at the time. The initial lava output was estimated at 8 million cubic meters per day (1,500 gpm), but decreased over the following days. Lava reached the ocean on July 19, about 5 weeks after it first erupted. Interestingly, gas emissions did not increase from this outbreak on Pu‘u ‘Ô‘ô’s west flank.

Flash forward to 2011. In early March, Pu`u `O`o collapsed prior to a four-day fissure eruption to the west, and, by the end of the month, lava was refilling the crater. On July 3, the crater floor began to inflate like a balloon, with the perched lava lake within the crater resembling a recessed pool on top of a large dome. The rapid increase in subsurface pressure beneath the crater floor signaled impending change.

Sure enough, in late July, lava erupting from vents within Pu`u `O`o filled two small pits just west of the crater. Lava spilled out of those pits on July 25, feeding a small lava flow toward the southwest. Lava activity and crater floor uplift in Pu`u `O`o diminished on July 30 but resumed on August 1.

Then, on Wednesday, August 3, at about 2:00 p.m., HST, the domed floor of Pu`u `O`o Crater started to subside. Fifteen minutes later, lava burst from the west flank of the Pu`u `O`o cone, flooding downslope areas and forming a branched flow. The weaker northwest branch flowed into the forest on the north side of the rift zone, while the much more vigorous south branch quickly moved downslope along the west side of the Mother’s Day flow field, advancing 3.6 km (2.2 mi) in 3 hours. Preliminary lava production estimates are at least twice the rate of the 2002 flow, and gas emissions increased by a factor of 10 to 5,000-7,000 tonnes/day.

Although the lava flow has now diminished, based on similar past events, it might last from days to weeks, or perhaps months. The volume of erupted lava has already equaled, or exceeded, the volume of the Pu`u `O`o crater collapse, so the flow is possibly being fed directly from the rift zone.

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: Geologists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have captured some of the first images of the new lava breakout to the west of Pu’u O’o.

Around 2:20 p.m., HST, on August 3, lava broke out from a vent (center) low on the west flank of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone. Lava erupting from the flank vent is entirely within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and pose no hazard to residents.

Lava flowing from vents on the west flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō formed two branches. A weak north arm advanced northward into forested kipuka (upper right). A higher-volume south arm quickly advanced down Kīlauea’s south flank along the edge of flows erupted in 2002-2004 (upper left). Both flows are entirely within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and pose no hazard to residents. The Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater is shown in the foreground.

At 2:02 p.m., HST, on August 3, the floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, which had risen significantly over the past month, forming a dome beneath the perched lava lake, started to subside. By 3:15 p.m., the crater floor and perched lava lake began to collapse. Within a couple of hours, the lava lake was no longer visible, and the crater floor was covered in rubble.

Video courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

The dramatic uplift of the volcanic Pu’u O’o crater floor and perched lake may have stalled, says the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

The recent expansion of the east rift zone crater looked like a baloon on the verge of popping… this thermal image video shows a looped timelapse video of the rising crater from July 9th to July 18th. The uplift was probably due to the shallow injection of magma beneath the crater floor, scientists say.

The southern floor and perched rim did not uplift noticeably on Sunday, while the northern lake rim appeared to have subsided slightly, a marked change from the rapid uplift of the last two weeks.

UPDATE: Just as this article was being published, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted the crater was on the rise again.

According to the latest Kilauea Status Report (June 19th):

Slow uplift of the crater floor and perched lake resumed yesterday. A lava lake, fed continuously by a source beneath the northeast edge remained perched in the center of the doming crater floor; circulation was from northeast to southwest. The crater floor and formerly near-vertical perched lake rims now form a nearly-continuous ramp sloping away from the lake. The crater floor was about 19 m (62 ft) below the east rim of Pu`u `O`o Crater with the lava lake surface being about 6 m (20 ft) above the floor and the lake rims being up to a few meters (yards) higher than that when measured on July 16. From June 29 to July 16, the crater floor was uplifted about 1 m (yard) per day.

The GPS network around Pu`u `O`o recorded long-term extension since mid-April with more rapid extension across the crater since July 3 that may be slowing. The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o Cone recorded slowing deflation. Seismic tremor levels were low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 700 tonnes/day on July 15, 2011, from all east rift zone sources.

Video courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

The bulging Pu`u `Ō `ō crater on the east rift zone of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is putting on a show, and there is no telling what could be next.

This USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory video shows a timelapse sequence taken from a thermal camera on the rim of Pu`u `Ō `ō crater.

The movie spans from May 26 to today and shows the rising level of the lava lake in the crater.

Things appear to be going slow in the first part of the movie, which shows the eruption during the month of June. You can see the level of the lava lake rises primarily due to overflows building the steep levee walls higher.

Scientists say sources within Pu`u `O`o crater are feeding that lava lake.

But its in the last portion of the movie where things get really interesting. From about July 1 to today, geologists say much of the rise of the lava lake has been due to uplift of the crater floor, carrying the lava lake upward. This uplift has been especially pronounced over the past few days, shown by the final few moments of the movie.

From the USGS Kilauea Status report (July 11th):

The GPS network around Pu`u `O`o recorded long-term extension since mid-April with accelerating extension across the crater since July 3, the day that visible uplift of the lava lake started; GPS receivers on the cone’s flank do not show this acceleration suggesting it is due to a shallow pressure source beneath the crater floor. The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o Cone recorded a small amount of inflation between 6 pm and midnight last night. Seismic tremor levels were low. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 700 tonnes/day on July 5, 2011, from all east rift zone sources.

What happens next is anyone’s guess… but it is important to note that ground access to this hazardous area is restricted by Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and the Kahauale`a Natural Area Reserve managers; weather permitting, views into the crater can be obtained by air tours.

Video courtesy USGS – Hawaiian Volcano Observatory | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

Some new Big Island volcano video has been released by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

This video shows recent activity at the lava lake deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity. Spattering can be seen in the upper left of the screen, and a steady stream of lava coming from an unseen source towards the southeast, is in the lower right. For scale, the lava lake is about 164 yards wide in this footage.

Scientists say the lava stream plunges into the lava lake, disrupting the crust in a chaotic fashion and later inducing a rotation to the flow in the lake.

A photo shows the source of the lava stream photographed by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff during an overflight, which is the only way this portion of the vent cavity floor can be seen.

On the East Rift Zone, the Pu`u `Ō `ō vent has also been busy. Overflows from the lava pond in Pu`u `Ō `ō have nearly leveled the crater floor with the perched pond. The floor of the crater is now 128 ft below the east rim.

A time compressed movie shows the refilling of Pu`u `Ō `ō over the past two months, taken from a thermal camera on the south rim of the crater.

Scientists say lava drained from Pu`u `Ō `ō on March 5 during the Kamoamoa fissure eruption, and remained absent for several weeks. This thermal camera began recording on March 18, and shows the abrupt return of lava to the crater floor on March 26. Lava refilling has been very unsteady since then, occurring in fits and starts, and has culminated in the development of a perched lava lake over the past several weeks. This perched lava lake has steep walls about 8-10 m (26-33 ft) above the surrounding crater floor.

Currently, no lava is entering the ocean.

Media release | USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

HAWAI‘I ISLAND, Hawaii — Following an almost 17-day pause in eruptive activity, lava is once again visible on Kilauea Volcano’s east rift zone according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

At 10:09 a.m. HST on Saturday, March 26, 2011, lava returned to the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater. HVO Webcam images (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/POcam/) showed lava slowly filling the deepest parts of the crater.

An abrupt deflation occurred about the same time that lava appeared in the crater, but the deflation then switched to inflation by 11:00 a.m. The eruption of lava was also heralded by a brief seismic tremor burst, in which tremor levels doubled and then began to slowly decrease.

At 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jim Kauahikaua, HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge, said, “Lava is currently confined to the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater and, so far, poses no threat to structures within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park or outside Park boundaries.”

On March 5, the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater floor, on which nearly 75 m (250 ft) of lava had accumulated during the past year, began to collapse around 2:00 p.m. Three hours later, a fissure opened southwest of Pu‘u ‘O‘o and began erupting fountains of lava from active vents that eventually extended to Napau Crater.

Lava continued to erupt from the Kamoamoa fissure until the night of March 9, when all activity on Kilauea’s east rift zone paused. Since then, no lava had erupted from east rift zone vents until today.

Kauahikaua stated that additional information about the return of lava to Pu‘u ‘O‘o will be posted on HVO’s Web site as it becomes available.

For daily eruption updates, status reports, and information on recent earthquakes in Hawai‘i, please visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Web site at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.