Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·31m

What’s shaking at the summit of Kīlauea? — USGS-HVO Volcano Watch

This past week, earthquakes and inflation near Kīlauea’s summit prompted temporary closures within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. What is happening beneath the surface at Kīlauea and what does it mean for potential future eruptive activity? Earthquake activity in the upper East Rift Zone, directly southeast of Kaluapele (Kīlauea’s summit caldera), increased around midnight of April 27. Since then, over 1,600 events have been recorded, most extending from Keanakākoʻi crater southeast towards Pauahi Crater. Most earthquakes have been smaller than magnitude 2 and taking place at depths of 1.2...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 26

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Moving Magma Trembles Kīlauea, April 25, 2024

Over the past week, deeper earthquakes increased in frequency 5 to 6 miles below Kīlauea, with shallower quakes in the south caldera still ongoing but spreading to include the nearby East Rift Connector. The deeper activity peaked on April 19, and after slowing for three days has now resumed providing frequent long-period signals that indicate the movement of magma within the volcano, even as the ground surface of the volcano continues to swell. As a result of this heightened state of unrest, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory began issuing daily updates for Kīlauea on April 20, but the v...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 26

Introducing HVO's new online eruption map — USGS-HVO Volcano Watch

The production of maps to track the progress of ongoing eruptions has long been part of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) mission to inform the public about volcanic hazards in Hawaii. The methods used to collect, interpret, and disseminate map data have been evolving ever since HVO’s founding in 1912, and a digital tool newly available to the public continues that legacy of innovation. The new digital tool is an interactive, browser-based display of map data that can be updated in near-real-time with eruption features, such as lava flows. During the Island of Hawai‘i’s most dramati...

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1 like · 1 reply

Ryan Finlay

That's pretty sweet!

Apr 26

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 19

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea South Caldera Earthquakes Increasing

Earthquake rates doubled this past week beneath Kīlauea’s south caldera and deeper under its summit, indicating ongoing magma movement and accumulation within the volcano’s underground reservoirs. Overall seismic levels are still low relative to the build-up ahead of prior intrusions and eruptions, and there are no signs of an eruption within the short term as Kīlauea continues to recover from its massive Southwest Rift intrusion on January 31. Recent earthquakes and ongoing ground deformation measured by GPS suggest this recent Southwest Rift pathway remains active and magma is still being ...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 19

Magnetics, magma, and monitoring: new technology for old questions — USGS Volcano Watch

Earth’s magnetic field surrounds us every second of the day, everywhere on the planet. Anyone who has picked up a pocket compass and seen the magnetic needle quickly align itself has seen the action of this ever-present invisible field. But can we harness the magnetic field to forecast volcanic activity? Emerging technology in the field of “quantum” science may aid us in doing so. On a large scale, the structure of the Earth is divided into four main layers: the crust, the mantle, and the inner and outer core. The outer core, which starts at about 1800 miles (2,900 km) beneath your feet and e...