Kilauea’s lava fountains pause after reaching over 500 feet
COURTESY USGS
A view of the Halemaumau crater with the Kilauea caldera.
UPDATE: Monday, 10:30 a.m.
Kilauea volcano’s “episode 21” ended at 8:36 p.m. on Sunday after seven hours and 51 minutes of sustained fountaining from the north vent, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
“The Halemaumau eruption is currently paused,” HVO said in a Monday morning update. “Activity levels overnight were subdued with intermittent incandescence from the active north and south vents. Night-time incandescence from episode 21 lava deposits was visible near the active vent region and along the northern margin of Halemaumau crater.”
No significant activity has been noted along Kilauea’s East or Southwest Rift Zones.
The alert level remains at watch, and the aviation color code is set at orange, indicating a heightened volcanic activity with limited hazards.
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Kilauea’s lava fountains reaching 500 feet high resumed Sunday afternoon, less than a week after its latest episode paused Tuesday night.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said in a news release Sunday that Episode 21 began soon after dome fountains evolved into continuous lava fountains and grew rapidly at around 12:45 p.m. The 500 feet high fountains at the north vent are also feeding lava flows that cover 10-20% of the Halema‘uma‘u crater floor, HVO said.
The south vent is not currently active, the statement said.
Sunday’s fountaining was preceded by four hours and 45 minutes of precursory low-level activity in the north vent, “cycling from dome fountaining and ponding of lava to vigorous drainbacks,” HVO said.
The fountaining emits strong degassing, HVO said, as well as tephra and strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s hair. Northeast winds are blowing the plume southwest, away from the main viewing areas and communities, according to the HVO release.
No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone, HVO said.
Since late December, Kilauea has seen episodes of Halema‘uma‘u fountaining lava that last anywhere from 13 hours to eight days, with pauses in eruptive activity lasting from less than 24 hours to 12 days.
The alert level for the 21st Kilauea episode remains at watch and the aviation color code is set at orange, indicating a heightened volcanic activity with limited hazards.
