January 6, 2023, 10:02 p.m., Pacific: Just got back online and saw that Kilauea erupted spectacularly — and harmlessly! — yesterday.
Here is the Park’s page on the eruption.
Per HVO’s update today, the initial high magma output has slowed some and they think that it’s going to stay at the summit, away from residential areas and infrastructure.
The current USGS livestream is still impressive, though.
There’s no additional news about Mauna Loa. The magma system under Hawaiian volcanoes is incredibly complex, but I’m thinking that whatever imbalance was caused by Mauna Loa’s eruption has resolved, and Kilauea is going to carry on per usual now.
Time will tell.
January 3, 2023, 9:54 a.m., Pacific: Something is up — not necessarily catastrophic but interesting.
Per Big Island Now:
Big Island Now
Hawai’i Volcano Blog
…
January 3, 2023 · 9:12 AM PST
Today at 3:31 a.m., a magnitude-4.0 earthquake occurred 4 miles northwest of the town of Volcano on the Big Island, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake was at a depth of 12 miles below sea level; and it occurred in a region of stress interaction between Mauna Loa and Kīlauea volcanoes.
The earthquake had no apparent impact on either volcano, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Also of note from the HVO on December 30th:
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY INFORMATION STATEMENT
U.S. Geological Survey
Friday, December 30, 2022, 10:30 PM HST (Saturday, December 31, 2022, 08:30 UTC)KILAUEA (VNUM #332010)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” WSummit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
KĪLAUEA INFORMATION STATEMENT
A swarm of small earthquakes beneath Kīlauea caldera began at about 6 p.m. on Friday, December 30th, 2022. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recorded approximately 25 earthquakes less than magnitude 2 between 6 and 9 p.m. HST. The swarm seems to be diminishing at this time, but activity may pick up again.
These earthquakes are typical as the summit of Kīlauea repressurizes after the end of the last eruption. The earthquakes are generally dispersed beneath and around the south side of Halemaʻumaʻu. Overall, the summit of Kīlauea has been gradually inflating since the 28th of November. There is no indication that resumption of eruptive activity is imminent and there are no signs of significant activity in either of Kīlaueaʻs rift zones or on Mauna Loa.
EARTHQUAKE SWARM DESCRIPTION
Magnitude: Maximum magnitude of 2, most less than magnitude 1.5
Date and time: Starting at 6:00 p.m. HST on December 30, 2022, and ongoing
Location: 5 km (3 miles) SW of Volcano
Depth: 2 km (1 mile) below the surface
Number of located events: Over 25INTENSITY OF EARTHQUAKES AND AFFECTED AREAS
Potential Damage: No damage to buildings or infrastructure expected based on earthquake intensity
Maximum Modified Mercalli Scale Intensity: I-II—Not Felt to Weak (https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/science/modified-mercalli-intensity-scale)
Felt Reports: None
Felt Area: Not FeltEARTHQUAKE MAPS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
USGS-HVO Interactive Earthquake Map of Hawai’i: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/earthquakes
More Information:
Kīlauea activity summary also available by phone: (808) 967-8862
Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams
Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-video-chronology
Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps
Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawaiʻi and American Samoa.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
askHVO@usgs.gov
Subscribe to these messages: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
Summary of volcanic hazards from eruptions: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hazards
Recent earthquakes in Hawaiʻi (map and list): https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo
Explanation of Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes
HVO’s Mauna Loa update page. It is currently Advisory/Yellow and there is only the December 29 update at time of writing.
At this quieter activity level just now, Mauna Loa updates are issued on Thursdays, Kilauea updates on Tuesdays. They’ll go daily if the boffins spot any signs of increased eruption likelihood at either fire mountain.
Originally posted as “The Mauna Loa/Kilauea Pause”:
This week’s Sunday Morning Volcano post comes early, since the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory announced yesterday that both volcanoes had ceased eruption — what Dr. Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge, calls a long pause in this video:
I am trying hard to finish the Decade Volcano eBook revision but will keep an eye out for any news on this and add it to this post whenever possible.
This is fascinating. I’ve read of the two volcanoes erupting simultaneously several times but haven’t yet come across mention of them both stopping at once — okay, a day apart, but that’s simultaneous in geologic time terms.
Update, 7:50 p.m., Pacific: Per HVO this afternoon:
Potential remains for resumption of this eruption or initiation of a new eruption at or near the summit of Kīlauea.
Featured image: Kilauea and Mauna Loa erupting together in 2022, image by National Park Service/J. Ibasan, public domain.
Flight To Wonder 