Kilauea Volcano’s summit lava lake falls

Kilauea Volcano’s summit lava lake has fallen and is currently about 177 feet below the current floor of Halemaumau Crater, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported Monday morning.

The decrease in the lava lake level comes amid deflation at the summit that commenced around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, scientists said, noting seismic episodic bursts associated with spattering within the Overlook vent continued. On Friday, amid inflation at summit, the lava lake had risen to within 151 feet of the Overlook vent rim, which is located on the floor of Halemaumau.

During inflation, magma rises into the summit reservoir, according to the observatory. The summit reservoir enters the deflation portion of the cycle when the magma moves laterally into a rift zone and either erupts or is stored there.

Lava last overflowed the crater rim periodically between April 21 and May 10.

Meanwhile, the June 27 lava flow remained active within about 5 miles of the Puu Oo vent, scientists said.

At Puu Oo, scientists noted the tiltmeter, which is used to measure tiny changes in the “tilt” or angle of the ground, on the vent’s north flank continued to show no significant tilt. Seismicity rates there were also at normal background levels.