In February 2019, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released a preliminary map of lava flow thicknesses for Kīlauea Volcano’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. This map was produced by
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
VOLCANOWatch: Eruption Pause Provides an Opportunity to Probe Volcanic Pollution
The end of Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption this past September was accompanied by an enormous decrease in the amount of sulfur dioxide gas (SO2) emitted from the volcano. This has led
VOLCANOWatch: New Outcrops Make Good Geology
A good field geologist is an opportunist. Never content with what outcrops are available, she jumps at the chance to see another one, hoping that it will provide a better
VOLCANOWatch: Did Groundwater Trigger Explosive Eruptions at Kīlauea?
In February 1924, the surface of the lava lake at Halema‘uma‘u dropped rapidly and disappeared from view. Throughout March and April, the crater floor subsided as magma moved out of
VOLCANOWatch: M5.5 Earthquake, A Bump in the Night Toward More Typical Seismic Background
Early Wednesday morning, just before 1 a.m., houses in East Hawai`i began to shake. Without a doubt, it was an earthquake. To those who endured the near-daily shaking from last
VOLCANOWatch: How Do Lava Flows Cool and How Long Does it Take?
Since the end of the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption on Kīlauea Volcano, questions have surfaced concerning how long it will take for the new lava flows to solidify.
VOLCANOWatch: Low Sulfur Emissions Mean a New Focus on a Different Volcanic Gas
With the end of Kīlauea Volcano’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, the Island of Hawaiʻi was able, at long last, to say goodbye to strong vog—volcanic smog produced by
VOLCANOWatch: Why Do Some Hawaii Earthquakes Occur So Far Offshore?
Earthquakes in Hawaii are intimately related to the volcanoes. In addition to helping scientists track moving magma, sometimes they happen simply because the earthunder the island chain gets bent out of
VOLCANOWatch: Geology of the Past, How Long will the Eruption Last?
The 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea brought an end to the 35+ year eruption at Puʻu ‘Ō‘ō. With the draining of the summit and the collapse of
VOLCANOWatch: 7 Months of No Lava at Puʻu ʻŌʻō Heralds End of an Era
One of the most frequent questions asked of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists the last several months has been, “Is the Lower East Rift eruption over?” But the same question