Hawaii Tracker

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Quakes Slower, 100-yr Explosive Eruption Anniversary

Kīlauea continued to quake over the last week, but at slower rates than the previous two weeks, while the volcano’s ground surface continued to show inflation, also at a slower rate. Earthquakes remain clustered in the south caldera and Upper East Rift Connector areas, continuing this month’s trend. There continues to be no increased hazard to people, with volcanic gas emissions still the main current threat to residents and visitors between eruptions. Gas measurements remain relatively low around 60 tonnes of SO2 per day, still of concern for sensitive individuals nearby. Maunaloa continues...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·May 10

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Pressurized As Quakes Cycle

Last week’s high earthquake rates beneath Kīlauea’s Upper East Rift Connector and south caldera slowed over the weekend before resuming on Monday at a slightly lower pace. This signal, along with relatively rapid ground tilting and upward movement in the south caldera and Koaʻe Fault Zone, are still “reflective of increasing pressurization in the magmatic system underlying the Kīlauea summit region,” according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Satellite and ground measurements indicate uplift of over 4 inches or 11 centimeters over the past 2 weeks south of Kīlauea’s main caldera. Howe...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·May 9

The blast of the century at Kīlauea — USGS-HVO Volcano Watch

Kīlauea began erupting explosively 100 years ago this week, for the first time in nearly a century. The eruption lasted for about 17 days, killing one person and injuring others. The eruption took place from Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea but was foreshadowed by a seismic crisis and intrusion of magma in lower Puna, 30 miles (50 km) away. In February 1924, the lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu began to drain back underground. In mid-April, lower Puna was shaking almost constantly, and the ground was cracking open as lava from the emptying lake traveled underground into the lower East Rift Zone...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·May 3

What’s shaking at the summit of Kīlauea? — USGS-HVO Volcano Watch

This past week, earthquakes and inflation near Kīlauea’s summit prompted temporary closures within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. What is happening beneath the surface at Kīlauea and what does it mean for potential future eruptive activity? Earthquake activity in the upper East Rift Zone, directly southeast of Kaluapele (Kīlauea’s summit caldera), increased around midnight of April 27. Since then, over 1,600 events have been recorded, most extending from Keanakākoʻi crater southeast towards Pauahi Crater. Most earthquakes have been smaller than magnitude 2 and taking place at depths of 1.2...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 26

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Moving Magma Trembles Kīlauea, April 25, 2024

Over the past week, deeper earthquakes increased in frequency 5 to 6 miles below Kīlauea, with shallower quakes in the south caldera still ongoing but spreading to include the nearby East Rift Connector. The deeper activity peaked on April 19, and after slowing for three days has now resumed providing frequent long-period signals that indicate the movement of magma within the volcano, even as the ground surface of the volcano continues to swell. As a result of this heightened state of unrest, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory began issuing daily updates for Kīlauea on April 20, but the v...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 26

Introducing HVO's new online eruption map — USGS-HVO Volcano Watch

The production of maps to track the progress of ongoing eruptions has long been part of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) mission to inform the public about volcanic hazards in Hawaii. The methods used to collect, interpret, and disseminate map data have been evolving ever since HVO’s founding in 1912, and a digital tool newly available to the public continues that legacy of innovation. The new digital tool is an interactive, browser-based display of map data that can be updated in near-real-time with eruption features, such as lava flows. During the Island of Hawai‘i’s most dramati...

Ryan Finlay

That's pretty sweet!

Apr 26

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 19

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea South Caldera Earthquakes Increasing

Earthquake rates doubled this past week beneath Kīlauea’s south caldera and deeper under its summit, indicating ongoing magma movement and accumulation within the volcano’s underground reservoirs. Overall seismic levels are still low relative to the build-up ahead of prior intrusions and eruptions, and there are no signs of an eruption within the short term as Kīlauea continues to recover from its massive Southwest Rift intrusion on January 31. Recent earthquakes and ongoing ground deformation measured by GPS suggest this recent Southwest Rift pathway remains active and magma is still being ...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 19

Magnetics, magma, and monitoring: new technology for old questions — USGS Volcano Watch

Earth’s magnetic field surrounds us every second of the day, everywhere on the planet. Anyone who has picked up a pocket compass and seen the magnetic needle quickly align itself has seen the action of this ever-present invisible field. But can we harness the magnetic field to forecast volcanic activity? Emerging technology in the field of “quantum” science may aid us in doing so. On a large scale, the structure of the Earth is divided into four main layers: the crust, the mantle, and the inner and outer core. The outer core, which starts at about 1800 miles (2,900 km) beneath your feet and e...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 12

HVO and Collaborators Continue Seismic Surveys Across the Active Volcanoes of Hawaii — USGS Volcano Watch

The Island of Hawai‘i is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. In the last five years, an average of 600-1200 earthquakes per week have been detected by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). This regular rumble of activity across the island can be used to our advantage to assess the hazards that Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes represent. The permanent HVO seismic network consists of nearly 100 stations located across the island. HVO scientists use these stations to monitor the location and character of seismic activity, paying particular attention to signals that mi...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 12

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea’s South Caldera Quaking, April 11, 2024

This past week, earthquakes on Kīlauea concentrated beneath the south caldera area, though only reached magnitude 2.6 despite the region exhibiting accelerated inflation for 3 weeks. Seismic counts across the whole volcano exceeded 100 events yesterday, similar to the previous cycle peak on March 31st but above the average last week of around 50 events per day. However, these numbers are still low compared to the main pulse of magma intrusion into the Southwest Rift in late January and early February, when over 3,000 events occurred within one week. For now, the volcano continues to recharge a...