
USGS WEBCAM: This image (Feb. 28) is from a research camera positioned on a cone in Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The camera looks northeast (upslope), focusing on the middle part of the Southwest Rift Zone. The volcano's summit is at upper right.
by Big Island Video News8:28 am
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STORY SUMMARY
HAWAIʻI ISLAND - There has been a relative increase in earthquake activity, recently, as well as a slight increase in the rate of inflation at the volcano summit.
USGS: Slope map of Mauna Loa, including lava flows erupted since 1823 (gray), showing the approximate number of hours or days it took for a flow to advance from the vent location to the ocean or maximum reach of a flow. One flow that moved down the steep slopes on west flank of Mauna Loa reached the ocean in as little as 3 hours after the vent started erupting in 1950. The bold numbers (for example, 12Mm3/d) are the average rates of lava effusion (outpouring of lava) in millions of cubic meters per day. Note the west flank has the steepest slopes (red-orange areas), shortest distance from vent to the ocean, and the highest average rate of effusion during eruptions, resulting in precious little time for warning residents during an eruption from the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa.
(BIVN) – A few days ago, we reported that scientists were noticing a “slight increase” in deformation and seismicity at Mauna Loa volcano. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory followed up with this detailed Volcano Watch article on the subject: