Observatory releases photos, video of new Puu Oo eruption
USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
A closer look at the active flow in Puu Oo crater, with a small vent in the distance throwing spatter on March 4..
USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
Small vents in the southern portion of Puu Oo crater have been active recently, and erupting new lava flows onto the floor of the crater. The light-colored flow in the center of the photograph was active on March 4, and slowly spreading across the crater floor.
USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
Scattered breakouts remain active northeast of Puu Oo vent, with the farthest activity slightly more than 3.7 miles from the vent. Some of the breakouts were active along the forest boundary, creating small brush fires. Other breakouts, like the one shown in this March 4 photograph, are covering earlier portions of the flow field.
USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
A vent in the southern portion of Puu Oo Crater contained a small lava pond and was throwing spatter a short distance on March 4. The accumulated spatter has built a small cone around the opening. A thick layer of Pele’s hair covers the far side of the cone.
USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist carefully approaches a skylight on the June 27th lava tube. The skylight provided a view into the lava tube, and revealed a swiftly moving lava stream in this March 4 photo.
Vents on the southern end of Puu Oo crater began oozing lava on the crater floor Friday and continued to erupt intermittently through the weekend.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists took a closer look at the eruption on Friday and released photos and a video of of lava spattering from a vent on the crater floor.
The video shows a small cone forming around the opening of the vent and Pele’s hair covering the far side of the cone.
Scientists also examined a skylight over a lava tube allowing a glimpse at the lava stream feeding breakouts northeast of Puu Oo. The lava breakouts are burning some forest areas, but do not threaten any occupied areas. The furthest active lava flow is about 3.7 miles from Puu Oo vent.
Meanwhile, the lava lake in Halemaumau Crater remains relatively high, about 105 feet below the rim of the lake on the floor of the crater. That level is slightly lower than than lake level over the weekend, which was about 98 feet below the crater floor.
