During my time living on the Big Island of Hawaii, I was fascinated by the Kilauea volcano. It was a hugely active volcano and there were many reasons why I wanted to learn more about its history. I wanted to know what happened to the volcano, what caused it to be so active and what was the process of building the magma-plumbing system that sprang up around it.

Lava glow emanating from the volcano

Several times in the past few weeks, Kilauea Volcano has produced a lava glow. This phenomenon is caused by sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano. The gases are emitted to the sky, where they form a haze that can be seen at night. These emissions can pose a threat to humans and livestock.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that weak lava flows are still erupting from the western fissure vent. These emissions are feeding the lava lake.

The level of the lava lake has dropped by 10 meters in the past 24 hours. The level of the lava lake remains below 700 feet. The level of the lava lake is expected to rise.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported an effusive eruption in Halema’uma’u crater. This eruption is currently not visible from the surface of the lava lake.

On December 20, the tipping point of the eruption occurred. This resulted in a rapid increase in the summit tiltmeter. This was detected at 14:45 local time. The ground swayed slightly, suggesting a slight increase in ground pressure.

A small steep sided spatter cone was formed on the eastern side of the crater. The dome fountain appeared in the crater on January 5th.

Several fissures have opened in the Leilani Estates neighborhood. Fissure 22 has shed enough lava to form a channel to the ocean near MacKenzie State Park. The lava will continue to pour in New Year’s.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has lowered Kilauea Volcano’s alert level from WATCH to WATCH. This indicates that a hazardous eruption is likely.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s video shows the current activity. The video is presented in two parts: the first shows a daytime image, while the second part is a nighttime image.

Magma-plumbing system

Detailed knowledge of Kilauea volcano’s magma plumbing system is relatively well understood. It is believed to extend deep beneath Earth’s surface and receive a pulse of additional magma when a summit eruption occurs. But the system’s internal architecture is not well known. It is important to understand its underlying mechanisms to better understand magma dynamics.

The geothermobarometric study of Los Humeros volcanic complex aims to reconstruct the present-day geometry of the magmatic plumbing system. The study is based on the integration of existing physical parameters, pressure-temperature estimates, and high-resolution eruption chronologies.

The Los Humeros Caldera (LHVC) is one of the most exploited geothermal fields in Mexico. The complex is part of the eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The complex contains a deep mafic reservoir and shallow reservoir. The deep reservoir is about 30 km deep and contains pockets of mafic magma.

The shallow reservoir is about 3 miles across and is filled by magma from depth. The shallow reservoir is composed of pockets of mafic magmas, which are sometimes connected with the lower feeding zone. The depths at which these pockets are situated correspond to the depths where smaller batches of mafic magmas differentiate. The complex zone is a proposed layer in the middle-crust depths.

The shallow magmatic stagnation system is defined by the growth of Opx crystals in the most evolved melts. In addition, the composition of Cpx microlites is used to define the intermediate magma storage system. The deeper reservoir contains crystal-bearing magmas that ascend from the shallow stagnation levels.

In addition, the summit region reinflates after a rift zone eruption. This is a result of the partial melting of the Pacific Plate beneath the Hawaiian hot spot. It is believed that this partial melting is the source of the basaltic magma.

Mount Hualalai

Located on the island of Hawaii, Kilauea volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Its activity has a profound effect on the island of Hawaii and the people who live there.

Kilauea is the second youngest of the five volcanoes that make up the Hawaiian hotspot. It emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. It was once thought to be a separate volcano, but has been merging with nearby Mauna Loa volcano on the north side of the island.

Kilauea is currently erupting, producing a river of lava. It has a large crater and a caldera that is now filled with lava. The eruptions have also destroyed beaches and homes.

Kilauea has two rift zones: the east rift and the south rift. The east rift extends about 125 km. The south rift extends about 35 mi. There are also several pit craters in the east rift.

The volcano has erupted over the past three decades, causing significant property damage and destroying historical sites. Kilauea has a large lava lake in its main caldera. It also has a four-mile-long fissure that has been formed by the eruptions.

The eruptions have also changed the landscape of the island of Hawaii. The towns of Kalapana and Kaimu were completely engulfed by the lava. The black sand beach at Kalapana was completely destroyed and a portion of State Rte 130 was completely wiped out. The volcano has also added a new square mile to the Hawaiian coastline.

Kilauea volcano is a shield volcano that has been erupting for more than three decades. It has emitted almost three billion cubic yards of lava.

Haleakala

Thousands of years ago, Haleakala rose out of the ocean. The ocean floor was carved by water erosion to form a valley, which then merged into a “crater” at the volcano’s summit.

The lava flows in Haleakala’s eruptions created a large, gently sloping cone. It has been known as the “house of the sun” in the Hawaiian language.

The Haleakala eruptions have been along two rift zones. The most prominent rift zone runs from the Haleakala Crater down to La Perouse. The second rift zone is less prominent. It continues under the ocean beyond the east coast of Maui.

Haleakala is the only Hawaiian volcano that has erupted in the last few hundred years. It has been more active in the last thousand years than the previous 10,000 years. During the past 1,000 years, Haleakala has erupted ten times.

Haleakala’s volcano history is recorded in the Kula volcanic series. This series contains picrite-basalts with big crystals of olivine. These flows were formed when the Pacific Plate moved northwest.

Haleakala’s most recent eruption is thought to have taken place between La Perouse in 1786 and Vancouver in 1793. However, radiocarbon dates suggest that the eruption may have occurred earlier than 1750 AD.

Haleakala has erupted several times in the past 30,000 years. It is the most active Hawaiian volcano. In recent years, the volcano’s ancient status has gained new attention. Its volcano history has been written about in many publications, including the “Astronomy Cast.” It has also been featured on “Universe Today.”

Haleakala volcano is part of a series of lava flows on East Maui. The oldest lava flow on the island dates back 1.1 million years.

Kohala

Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcano’s name is a Hawaiian term meaning “spewing”. Kilauea is the youngest of five volcanoes on the island, and is considered a shield-type volcano.

The volcano’s eruptive history has been long and active. There have been 34 eruptions since 1952.

The volcano’s earliest lavas are thought to have formed about 230-370 years ago. Kilauea has two active rift zones. The eastern rift zone is the source of many of the volcano’s eruptions. The rift zone moves between 2 and 20 mm per year.

Kilauea’s eruptions are known to cause considerable property damage, and have been responsible for displacing thousands of residents. The most recent eruption occurred in 2018. It was the largest eruption in Kilauea’s history. It spewed enough lava to fill 320,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.

Kilauea has been in an eruptive pause since 2018. The volcano’s summit is now refilling with magma. However, small eruptions may continue for years.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has been monitoring the volcano since 1998. In late April, it documented the collapse of the Puu OO cone. The collapse caused lava flows to descend the slope of Kilauea’s summit and into a lake, which is now Halema’uma’u.

Kilauea’s eruptions caused a number of property damage, including the destruction of a black sand beach in the Kaimu community. The Kaimu community is still recovering from the effects of the eruption.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory is currently hosting an After Dark in the Park series. The event is free. Visitors will learn about the volcano and the people who study it. Those with questions will be able to speak with a park ranger.