Videos

Gas-pistoning is an interesting phenomenon seen at Kilauea and other volcanoes. It is caused by the accumulation of gas within, or the rise of a gas slug through, a column of lava. In either case, the gas pushes up the overlying lava (the "piston"). Eventually, the gas breaches the surface and escapes, sometimes as a forceful jet of fume and spatter.

Gas-pistoning is an interesting phenomenon seen at Kilauea and other volcanoes. It is caused by the accumulation of gas within, or the rise of a gas slug through, a column of lava. In either case, the gas pushes up the overlying lava (the "piston"). Eventually, the gas breaches the surface and escapes, sometimes as a forceful jet of fume and spatter.

(May 29, 2006, 10:45:46 to 19:30:49) The interaction of sea water and lava creates a volatile situation (Mattox and Mangan, 1997). When this happens inside the confined space of a lava tube, or a narrow, water-filled crack, the results can be impressive.

The interaction of sea water and lava creates a volatile situation. When this happens inside the confined space of a lava tube, or a narrow, water-filled crack, the results can be impressive. In this video, which was made from time-lapse images cropped to focus on the activity, bursting lava bubbles put on quite a show for several hours.

(March 20, 2006, 11:30:10 to March 22, 2006, 07:00:16) The flow field feature seen here in profile is a shatter ring.

The flow field feature seen here is called a shatter ring. Shatter rings are circular to elliptical volcanic features, typically tens of meters (yards) in diameter, which form over active lava tubes. They are typified by an upraised rim of blocky rubble and a central depression.

On February 9, 2005, an eruptive surge at Pu'u 'O'o resulted in episodic spattering and fountaining from the MLK vent, on the southwestern flank of the Pu'u 'O'o cone. The main cone active during this event was 6-7 meters (20-23 feet) high. This suggests that fountain heights reached about 10 meters (33 feet).

At 11:10 in the morning on November 28, 2005, the lava delta at the East Lae‘apuki ocean entry, on Hawai‘i's southeastern coast, began to collapse into the ocean. This was not a catastrophic failure of the 13.8-hectare delta, but instead occurred by piecemeal calving of the front of the delta over a period of just less than 5 hours.

At 11:10 in the morning on November 28, 2005, the lava delta at the East Lae'apuki ocean entry, on Hawai'i's southeastern coast, began to collapse into the ocean. This was not a catastrophic failure with the entire 34-acre delta going at once, but instead occurred in a piece-meal fashion over a period of just less than 5 hours.

(May 10, 2005, 16:20:29 to 18:30:29) After the collapse of the main spatter cone at the MLK vent (see movies "Spatter cone collapse at the MLK vent"), a small lava pond was visible within the new pit. At times, the level of the lava pond rose abruptly, overflowing the rim of the pit.

After the collapse of the main spatter cone at the Martin Luther King (MLK) vent on May 2, 2005, a small lava pond was visible within the new pit. Over the following weeks, the level of the lava pond often changed abruptly, resulting in overflows and spattering along the edge of the pond.

(May 2, 2005, 05:30:04 to 07:30:02) During spring 2005, activity at the MLK vent, on the southwestern flank of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone, changed from a period of construction to one of destruction. This was highlighted by the collapse of the main MLK spatter cone.

During Spring 2005, activity at the Martin Luther King (MLK) vent, an eruptive vent on the southwestern flank of the Pu'u 'O'o cone, changed from a period of construction to one of destruction. This was highlighted by the collapse of the main MLK spatter cone.

(February 9, 2005, 18:00:30 to February 10, 2005, 08:00:31) On February 9, 2005, an increase in lava discharge from Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, part of a longer term increase in effusion rate (Miklius and others, 2006), resulted in vigorous spattering and low fountaining from the MLK vent.

A time lapse camera was poised on the southern flank of Pu'u 'O'o cone from early 2004 through mid-2007. This location overlooked the Martin Luther King (MLK) vent and provided a distant view of the top of the Prince Kuhio Kalanianaole (PKK) tube system—the lava tube system active at Pu'u 'O'o from 2004 to 2007.

(March 2, 2004, 11:48:17 to 23:08:42) Late 2003 through early 2004 marked a period of heightened eruptive activity at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō (Miklius and others, 2006) on Kīlauea Volcano's east rift zone, with lava frequently spilling from vents within the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater.

Late 2003 through early 2004 marked a period of heightened eruptive activity at Pu'u 'O'o, on Kilauea Volcano's east rift zone, with lava frequently spilling from vents within the Pu'u 'O'o crater.

Nearly continuous spattering from west vent of West Gap Pit, and sporadic spatter bursting from tall hornito to left. Heaving pond of lava between camera and vent. Hand-held camera, so a bit shaky. Note especially the symmetrical burst from hornito at about 15 seconds. Noise is reasonable facsimile of the real thing, emphasizing the treble.

Spattering from east vent in West Gap Pit, taken from same place as other video and also hand-held. Note the spatter rampart under construction by the falling spatter. Helicopter noise for first several seconds.

Lava pours out from under crust at front of advancing breakout. See still taken at 0607:33 today.

Lava emerges from under crust along side of breakout on steep slope. Listen to creaking sounds, about halfway through video, as crust flexes and breaks. See still taken at 0610:15 today.