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Thermal map of Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone lava flow field

August 31, 2019
thermal map shows relative surface temperatures across Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
This preliminary thermal map shows relative surface temperatures across Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone lava flow field. In general, the surface temperatures correlate with lava flow thickness—compare this map to the lava flow thickness map posted on February 19, 2019. Thicker areas of the lava flows have more residual heat in their interiors, which sustains higher temperatures on the surface. In the Kapoho area, where the flow is over 30 meters (100 feet) thick in places, there are scattered, small hotspots with surface temperatures greater than 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). However, most of the lava surface is much cooler than that. This thermal map, constructed from 2700 individual thermal images collected during a helicopter overflight on August 29, 2019, is preliminary, so small alignment issues are present in some areas. 

 

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