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Time-lapse sequence of lava delta subsidence at ocean entry
This movie shows a sequence of 8 time-lapse photos—one photo per day from July 6 to July 13, 2017—of the lava delta at Kīlauea Volcano's Kamokuna ocean entry. The sequence shows the front of the delta subsiding, and cracks running parallel to the coast widening, over the 8-day time period. The short movie is looped numerous times to help viewers detect these subtle changes in the delta, which are reminders that lava deltas are unstable features that can collapse without warning. Two lava delta collapses have already occurred at the Kamokuna ocean entry—on Dec. 31, 2016, and on May 3, 2017.
Summit deflation over the past day occurred as part of a deflation-inflation (DI) event, and, as usual with deflation, the lava lake level dropped. Over the past two days the lake level has dropped about 20 m (66 ft). The previous level is marked by the top of the black ring of lava veneer on the Overlook crater wall (visible just to the left of the spattering sites).
HVO geologists captured this image of a Koa‘e kea (white-tailed tropicbird) flying high over the summit lava lake this morning (visible between the two spattering sources). These graceful birds nest in the crater walls of Halema‘uma‘u and other rocky cliffs in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, but fly to the ocean to feed. From the Jaggar Museum overlook, Koa‘e kea can often be seen flying around Halema‘uma‘u and the outgassing plume from the lava lake.
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