Kilauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level continues to fall as the volcano remains in a period of slow deflation, the U.S. Geological Survey reported Monday morning.
Kilauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level continues to fall as the volcano remains in a period of slow deflation, the U.S. Geological Survey reported Monday morning.
The summit lava lake was about 10 yards below the rim of the Overlook Crater, which is located on the floor of Halemaumau Crater, as of Sunday afternoon, the survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said. They also said the level of the lake is about 2 to 3 yards below the floor of Halemaumau Crater. In recent weeks, overflows have built up the rim of Overlook Crater, creating a “perched lake.”
In addition, the lake has not send lava onto the floor of Halemaumau during the past 24 hours. It had been spilling over the crater rim periodically since the volcano entered a period of steady inflation April 21.
Seismicity remained elevated Monday beneath Kilauea’s summit and upper East and Southwest Rift Zones.
The tiltmeter, which is used to measure tiny changes in the slope angle or “tilt” of the ground, on the north flank of Puu Oo recorded very minor fluctuations in tilt during the past 24 hours.
Scientists also said they observed no active flows within the crater, however, “webcam views of nighttime incandescence suggest lava was present in the collapsed pit west of the main crater.”
Breakouts along the June 27 lava flow remained active within 5 miles of Puu Oo Monday morning. Most of the flows were located within 2 miles of the vent and being fed by a breakout that occurred Feb. 21, according to the observatory`.
The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on March 25 downgraded its alert level for Kilauea Volcano from a “warning” to a “watch.”