Volcano Watch — Using the ocean to track volcanic activity at Kīlauea

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.

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The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has a number of seismometers in place across Kīlauea Volcano for monitoring volcanic processes and active fault movements. When magma is not moving within or erupting from Kīlauea, the oceanic microseisms appear on seismometers as a repeating and unchanged signal.  

The microseismic signals display large variations during periods when Kīlauea is inflating or deflating due to magma moving beneath its surface. Similar variations occur when the volcano is actively erupting, such as now. Scientists measure differences in these observed microseisms during periods of volcanic activity relative to times of quiet, in an effort to identify when, where, and for how long magma is migrating and being stored within Kīlauea.  

HVO scientists recently applied this technique to better understand the events leading up to the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse. Microseism data combined with more traditional seismic and deformation patterns document the increase of pressure within the shallow region of the magma storage reservoir at Kīlauea’s summit. Both the summit and the East Rift Zone immediately began expanding rapidly, suggesting that magma was moving into these regions.  

Variations in microseisms also revealed that a magnitude-5.3 earthquake a year earlier had significantly weakened the volcanic crust directly beneath Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. HVO scientists hypothesized that the combination of increased pressure at Kīlauea’s summit and the weakening of the shallow crust beneath Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, created conditions favorable for magma to move downrift and erupt in 2018.  

HVO scientists recently deployed eight additional temporary seismometers around Halemaʻumaʻu crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, to track magma movements beneath the new lava lake. These temporary seismometers, along with HVO’s permanent seismic network, allow for a larger spatial sampling of the oceanic microseisms traveling through Kīlauea’s magma reservoir. This, in turn, means a denser sampling of where physical changes are occurring beneath the crater.  

Confinement of the ongoing eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlaueaʻs summit is ideal for surveying the physical mechanisms associated with this eruption. With analysis of these data, scientists at HVO hope to answer several questions: 1) where is the magma source and pathways for this eruption?; 2) can this technique help us understand small increases and decreases in volcanic activity observed at times during this eruption?; 3) can this technique provide clues for when the eruption will end?; and 4) how can we apply what we have learned in this study to assist in better understanding and forecasting volcanic activity associated with future eruptions at Kīlauea?  

Volcano Activity Updates  

Kīlauea Volcano is erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is at WATCH (https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/volcano-hazards/about-alert-levels). Kīlauea updates are issued daily.   

Lava activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu with lava erupting from a vent on the northwest side of the crater.  Laser rangefinder measurements this morning, March 18, indicate that the lava in the western (active) portion of the lake is 221 m (725 ft) deep, with the eastern portion of the lava lake solidified at the surface. The summit tiltmeters recorded neither inflationary nor deflationary tilt over the past day. Sulfur dioxide emission rates measured on March 17 were 650 t/d. Seismicity remains stable, with elevated tremor. For the most current information on the eruption, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/current-eruption.

Mauna Loa is not erupting and remains at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption from the current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.    

This past week, about 163 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper-elevations of Mauna Loa; most of these occurred at depths of less than 6 kilometers (about 4 miles). Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show continued slow summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano’s shallow storage system. A slight increase in the rate of inflation at the summit, that began in January, is continuing. Gas concentrations and fumarole temperatures at both the summit and at Sulphur Cone on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable. Webcams show no changes to the landscape. For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/monitoring.  

There were 7 events with 3 or more felt reports in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.3 earthquake 0 km (0 mi) NNW of Volcano at 26 km (16 mi) depth on March 17 at 3:33 a.m. HST, a M2.7 earthquake 26 km (16 mi) E of Honaunau-Napoopoo at -1 km (0 mi) depth on March 17 at 3:27 a.m. HST, a M3.2 earthquake 3 km (1 mi) S of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on March 17 at 12:25 a.m. HST, a M1.3 earthquake 25 km (15 mi) N of Pāhala at 7 km (4 mi) depth on March 15 at 1:47 a.m. HST, a M4.1 earthquake 12 km (7 mi) SSE of Volcano at 7 km (4 mi) depth on March 14 at 8:59 p.m. HST, a M3.3 earthquake 53 km (32 mi) ENE of Honomu at 5 km (3 mi) depth on March 12 at 5:38 p.m. HST, and a M3.4 earthquake 54 km (33 mi) ENE of Honomu at 2 km (1 mi) depth on March 12 at 5:31 p.m. HST.

HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea’s ongoing eruption and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.   

Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.   

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.