New video shows ‘vigorous’ lava spattering in Halemaumau
This image taken from video shows lava spattering in the southern portion of the lava lake in Halemaumau Crater Thursday. USGS HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
This Tuesday photo gives a closer look at the lava lake and overflows on the floor of Halemaumau Crater. The outline of the Overlook crater
The June 27th lava flow remains active
Lava was below the rim of the lava lake late Friday morning as seen in this webcamera image from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Recent overflows are visible in the right side of this Thursday afternoon photo. The lake level was about 7 yards above the original floor of Halemaumau Crater. Spattering was vigorous in the southern portion of the lake
Lava continued to spill on the crater floors of both Halemaumau and Puu Oo overnight and Friday, as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released a new video and photo of the lava lake in Halemaumau Crater.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and visitors saw lava spill over the floor of Halemaumau Crater several times since Thursday morning. The largest overflow began at about 5:30 p.m. and expanded the height and spread of the fresh lava on the crater floor. When measured Thursday, the lava lake surface was about seven yards higher than the original crater floor.
Scientists measured a slight inflationary tilt at Kilauea’s summit Friday and seismicity remained elevated in the volcano area.
The video released by the observatory Thursday shows what scientists called “vigorous” spattering in the lava lake as seen from an area of the Halemaumau rim that is closed to the public because of the danger from the eruption.
The lava has covered about 28 acres of Halemaumau Crater floor since the lake began overflowing last week, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said.
At Puu Oo, lava erupted onto the crater floor in two pulses Thursday afternoon and late Thursday night, geologists said. The lava flow on the crater floor at Puu Oo began Wednesday morning.
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Surface lava flows remain active northeast of the Puu Oo. Most of the surface lava are less than two miles from the vent, with the furthest flow about five miles northeast of the crater, far from populated areas. One flow is burning in a forest area.
Lava from Puu Oo approached the outskirts of Pahoa in September, but the flows stopped in March.
The lava lake in Halemaumau begani rising on April 21 during a period of inflation at the summit. The sight of lava in Halemaumau, last visible from the crater rim in 1974, has drawn crowds of visitors to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, especially at night.
