Hawaii Tracker

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...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 12

HVO and Collaborators Continue Seismic Surveys Across the Active Volcanoes of Hawaii — USGS Volcano Watch

The Island of Hawai‘i is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. In the last five years, an average of 600-1200 earthquakes per week have been detected by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). This regular rumble of activity across the island can be used to our advantage to assess the hazards that Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes represent. The permanent HVO seismic network consists of nearly 100 stations located across the island. HVO scientists use these stations to monitor the location and character of seismic activity, paying particular attention to signals that mi...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 12

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea’s South Caldera Quaking, April 11, 2024

This past week, earthquakes on Kīlauea concentrated beneath the south caldera area, though only reached magnitude 2.6 despite the region exhibiting accelerated inflation for 3 weeks. Seismic counts across the whole volcano exceeded 100 events yesterday, similar to the previous cycle peak on March 31st but above the average last week of around 50 events per day. However, these numbers are still low compared to the main pulse of magma intrusion into the Southwest Rift in late January and early February, when over 3,000 events occurred within one week. For now, the volcano continues to recharge a...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Apr 5

STEM and suction solutions at HVO —USGS Volcano Watch

STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In the educational system, encouraging STEM curriculum prepares students for future careers in STEM fields. In this “Volcano Watch” article, we’ll describe how aspects of STEM are applied at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), using a specific example of field engineering work. Staff at HVO study volcanic processes and associated hazards in Hawaii, with the emphasis and end goal of protecting life and property. The backbone of the observatory is the monitoring network, consisting of a diverse array ...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Mar 29

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Swelling Further

March rounds out quietly on Kīlauea, with relatively few earthquakes this month thus far compared to the end of January and beginning of February. This past week, seismicity continues to cluster in the south caldera and upper southwest rift, with sporadic events still occurring in the lower southwest rift. The south caldera and upper southwest rift area continues to swell, accumulating nearly 25 microradians of ground tilt over the past month, half of that within the last week. However, without an increase in earthquakes, a resumption of surface activity is likely still some time away. Volcani...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Mar 29

Using acoustic signals to identify the start of 2022 Mauna Loa eruption — HVO Volcano Watch

The 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa occurred late in the evening of November 27th. The eruption was preceded by intense earthquake activity about half an hour prior to glowing lava seen on USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) webcams. How does HVO narrow down the precise time that the eruption started? Remote cameras are critical to confirm eruptive activity but, in many cases, worldwide, views of the activity can be obscured. Clouds, fog or volcanic gas can block views. Or cameras may not cover the eruption site. Hence, HVO and other global observatories establish numerous methods to attempt ...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Mar 22

Establishing a Nascent Monitoring Program on Pico Basile Volcano, Equatorial Guinea — USGS Volcano Watch

In 2012, steam began to rise from beneath the cracked concrete of a telecommunication station at the summit of Pico Basile volcano on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, in western Africa. The steaming lasted several days and extended to two nearby summit craters. Fortunately, the event didn’t escalate beyond some baked vegetation and the slightly fried nerves of station personnel. The volcano had been in a state of quiescence, slumbering peacefully for nearly a century, and this event served as a not-so-subtle reminder that Pico Basile could wake up at any time—and it was completely unmonitored...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Mar 22

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Still Slowly Filling

Another week in March passes by without much change on Kīlauea. The highlight is continued magma accumulation in the area of the south caldera and Southwest Rift Connector, as evidenced by ground tilt even though earthquake rates remain relatively low having decreased from last week. Volcanic gas emissions, the main current threat to residents and visitors, remain relatively low around 85 tonnes of SO2 per day, though are still a concern for sensitive individuals nearby. Maunaloa also continues its longer, quiet run with few earthquakes and sustained inflation as it recharges with magma, and...

Dane duPont@dane_dupont ·Mar 15

Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Quakes Slowly Ongoing

Not much has changed on Kīlauea this past week: magma continues to fill the volcano underground, slowly swelling the area around the south caldera and Southwest Rift Connector and triggering small earthquakes, which extend farther down much of the Southwest Rift. While still modest, seismic rates have slightly increased since last week, suggesting a slow ramp-up as part of the recovery from the significant January 31st intrusion. Ground tilt continues to climb steadily in the south caldera near the Sand Hill monitoring station, where earthquakes are also clustered, as the magma build-up appe...