Kilauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level remained within 128 feet of the rim of the Overlook vent on the floor of Halemaumau Crater, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported Wednesday.
Kilauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level remained within 128 feet of the rim of the Overlook vent on the floor of Halemaumau Crater, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported Wednesday.
The lava lake, which also occasionally spatters, producing a gas plume during the day and glow at night, remains within 128 feet of the vent rim, scientists said. Slow inflationary tilt that began Monday continued through Tuesday, with a net inflation of less than 1 microradian recorded on the tiltmeter at Uwekahuna vault since July 6. The vault is located on the northwest rim of Kilauea Caldera.
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.
Very low levels of background seismicity continue at the summit, with most of the seismic activity being persistent volcanic tremor and variations in tremor strength rather than individual events.
Seismicity rates at the East Rift Zone also remained at normal levels, the scientist said.
At the East Rift Zone eruption site, June 27 lava flows remained active within about 5 miles northeast of Puu Oo.