(BIVN) – The ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is paused, following the end of Episode 23 on Sunday night.
As of Tuesday morning, a large white plume was billowing from the vents within Halemaʻumaʻu. Scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say summit inflation has resumed, along with persistent, low level seismic tremor.
“Fountaining episodes have occurred approximately once per week since the beginning of the eruption,” the USGS HVO wrote on Monday. “At the current rate of inflation, the next episode is anticipated to occur in a similar time frame.”
During Episode 23’s six-hours of sustained lava eruption, fountain heights were over 1,000 feet (300 meters) high. Sulfur dioxide emissions were estimated to be between 50,000 to 75,000 t/d.
“Based on webcam images from Mauna Loa summit, the plume reached well over 14,000 feet in height,” the Observatory noted.
The scientists say lava flows covered about half of the Halemaʻuma’u crater floor.
All eruptive activity remains within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and there has been no significant activity along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
The USGS Volcano Alert Level for Kīlauea remains at WATCH.
