Very little activity reported along lava flow

Breakouts from tube system near Puu Kahaualea, about 1.1 miles downslope of Puu Oo crater, appeared over the weekend. Puu Oo is on the skyline in the middle of the photo.

This comparison of a photograph and a thermal image of an HVO geologist sampling lava from the leading tip of the new breakout near Puu Oo was taken Monday. The recently active, but cooling portions of the flow (red and purple areas in upper left portion of image) have average surface temperatures around 300 C (572 F). The actively flowing area in the center of the photograph that the geologist is sampling from (yellow and white colors) has surface temperatures between 600 and 970 C (1100-1800 F).

In addition to the large breakout near Kahaualea, there was a series of smaller breakouts that appeared over the past day just upslope of the ground crack system, and about 5 miles downslope of Puu Oo.

This Monday photo shows burning vegetation at breakouts along margins of flow about mid-way down the flow field above the crack system.

Geologists survey a lava tube using Very Low Frequency measurements Monday.

This aerial photo, taken Monday, is looking downhill toward the stalled tip of the flow and P?hoa Village Road. The transfer station is visible in the left of photo with stalled lava just within the boundary.

Thermal images from Friday to Monday show the decline in activity levels around the flow front over the weekend.

A geologist takes a sample of molten lava Monday and quenches it in a bucket of cold water to "freeze" the crystalline structure.








PAHOA, Hawaii >> It was another quiet day for a lava flow threatening a rural Big Island town.
Hawaii County Civil Defense said Tuesday there continues to be very little activity along the breakouts of the lava flow and no advancement noted since the weekend.
Civil Defense Director Darryl Oli-veira said officials continue to monitor the lava for any changes in behavior and flow activity.
The slow-moving lava crossed a country road in Pahoa last month. Since then it has burned down a vacant house and a garden shed. The molten rock also has burned tires, some metal materials and vegetation in its path.
Kilauea Volcano continues to erupt at its summit. The volcano has been erupting continuously for more than 31 years.