Recent Kilauea Status Reports, Updates, and Information Releases

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 07:42 HST (Wednesday, January 7, 2009 17:42 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: There were no significant changes. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent remain elevated above pre-2008 values; tephra production has stopped. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from nearby east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows remain active on the pali and the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: Northeasterly winds kept air quality good except for a few hours yesterday afternoon when the winds came out of the east. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, the white plume is heading southwest low over the Ka`u Desert. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on January 2, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

Production of tephra has essentially stopped although the rockfalls within the vent continue. Recent views into the vent using an infrared camera show that the vent is closed by rubble deep beneath the Halema`uma`u Crater floor.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded weak deflation but the data are not consistent enough to indicate a unique source location. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total of 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels remain elevated. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remain around background values. A total of 7 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 4 beneath the summit caldera and 1 on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o continued to record tilting inward toward the crater. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded about 4 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent remain at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Last night, CD officials reported explosions from the ocean entry and spots of incandescence on the pali and on the coastal flats. GOES-WEST imagery revealed a persistent thermal anomaly overnight suggesting surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials confirm that the ocean entry activity continues.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 07:40 HST (Tuesday, January 6, 2009 17:40 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: There were no significant changes. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent remain elevated above pre-2008 values; tephra production has stopped. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from nearby east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows remain active on the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: Northeasterly winds kept air quality good except for a few hours yesterday afternoon when the winds came out of the east. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, the white plume is heading southwest low over the Ka`u Desert. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on January 2, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

Production of tephra has essentially stopped although the rockfalls within the vent continue.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded weak deflation but the data are not consistent enough to indicate a unique source location within the summit caldera. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total of 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels remain elevated - a slow increase in levels has recovered the amount lost in yesterday's step decrease. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remain around background values. A total of 7 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 3 beneath the summit caldera and 1 beneath the southwest rift zone.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o again recorded tilting inward toward the crater. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded about 4 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent remain at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Last night, CD officials reported explosions from the ocean entry and a few spots of incandescence on the coastal flats. GOES-WEST imagery revealed a persistent thermal anomaly overnight suggesting surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials confirm that the ocean entry activity continues.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Monday, January 5, 2009 07:47 HST (Monday, January 5, 2009 17:47 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: There were no significant changes. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent remain elevated above pre-2008 values; the vent is producing very little to no tephra. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from nearby east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows remain active on thepali and the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: Consistent northeasterly winds kept air quality good. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, white plume is heading southwest low over the Ka`u Desert. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on January 2, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

Production of tephra, which has been dominantly rock dust from wall collapses within the vent, has decreased to the point where it is difficult to measure. Production has essentially stopped although the rockfalls within the vent continue.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded weak deflation but the data are not consistent enough to indicate a unique source location within the summit caldera. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total of 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels remain elevated despite a small step decrease around 4:30 am this morning. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remain around background values. A total of 5 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 2 beneath the summit caldera and 3 beneath the southwest rift zone.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o recorded tilting inward toward the crater. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded about 4 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent remain at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Last night, CD officials reported a vigorous ocean entry and a few spots of incandescence on the pali and the coastal flats. GOES-WEST imagery revealed a thermal anomaly between clouds this morning suggesting surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials confirm that the ocean entry activity continues.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Sunday, January 4, 2009 08:04 HST (Sunday, January 4, 2009 18:04 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: There were no significant changes. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent have been elevated above pre-2008 values; the vent is producing very little to no tephra. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from nearby east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows remain active on the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: Consistent northeasterly winds kept air quality good. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, foggy weather is obscuring views of the plume. When visible, recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on January 2, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded no coherent ground tilting although the tiltmeter least affected by rainfall recorded tilting inward toward the south caldera consistent with deflation. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total of 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels remain elevated. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes remain at background values. A total of 20 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 7 beneath the summit caldera, 3 beneath the lower southwest rift zone, and 4 on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o recorded downward tilt toward the TEB vent. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded more than 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent remain at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Last night,CD officials reported a continuing ocean entry with only a single spot of incandescence on the pali. GOES-WEST imagery revealed an apparently weaker thermal anomaly between clouds this morning suggesting decreasing surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials report a plume from the active ocean entry.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Saturday, January 3, 2009 07:50 HST (Saturday, January 3, 2009 17:50 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: There were no significant changes. The Kilauea east rift zone has been erupting for 26 years today. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent were elevated above pre-2008 values; tephra production has decreased substantially. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from the east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows remain active on the pali and the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: consistent northeasterly winds kept air quality good. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, a thick white plume is being blown to the southwest. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on January 2, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded no coherent ground tilting. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total of 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels are still elevated. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes was slightly elevated overnight but is now within background values. A total of 21 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 8 beneath the summit caldera, 3 beneath the lower southwest rift zone, and 4 on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o recorded rain-induced oscillations including more than 2 microradians of deflation since midnight. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded more than 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Yesterday, HVO geologists mapped many active breakouts around and within the active western lobe (see map). Last night,CD officials reported a continuing ocean entry and views of a large breakout near the top of the pali and another area of activity about halfway between the base of the pali and the shoreline. GOES-WEST imagery revealed strong thermal anomalies this morning suggesting continuing surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials report seeing a plume from the active ocean entry.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Saturday, January 3, 2009 07:47 HST (Saturday, January 3, 2009 17:47 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: There were no significant changes. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent were elevated above pre-2008 values; tephra production has decreased substantially. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from the east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows remain active on the pali and the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: consistent northeasterly winds kept air quality good. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, a thick white plume is being blown to the southwest. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on January 2, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded no coherent ground tilting. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total of 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels are still elevated. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes was slightly elevated overnight but is now within background values. A total of 21 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 8 beneath the summit caldera, 3 beneath the lower southwest rift zone, and 4 on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o recorded rain-induced oscillations including more than 2 microradians of deflation since midnight. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded more than 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Yesterday, HVO geologists mapped many active breakouts around and within the active western lobe (see map). Last night,CD officials reported a continuing ocean entry and views of a large breakout near the top of the pali and another area of activity about halfway between the base of the pali and the shoreline. GOES-WEST imagery revealed strong thermal anomalies this morning suggesting continuing surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials report seeing a plume from the active ocean entry.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Friday, January 2, 2009 08:03 HST (Friday, January 2, 2009 18:03 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: A DI event, started on 12/31, has completed. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent were elevated above pre-2008 values; tephra production has decreased substantially. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from the east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean after a brief pause yesterday; surface flows remain active on the pali and the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: Weak and variable winds produced exceptionally poor air quality yesterday and early this morning. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, a thick white plume is being blown to the southwest; conditions are foggy. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on December 30, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

Following a decreasing trend since Dec. 15, the Halema`uma`u vent produced minimal amounts of tephra that consist mostly of fine rock dust probably resulting from continuing rock falls within the vent, some of which are heard during the collection routine.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded the start of DI inflation at 8:44 am Thursday, 14 hours after the start of deflation. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a brief contraction followed by an equal amount of extension yesterday morning mimicking the DI tilt, superimposed on a total 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels have decreased slightly with the start of the DI inflation as expected; tremor levels are still elevated. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes has increased since 5 am this morning but is still at low values. A total of 13 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 4 beneath the summit caldera (all since 5:30 am this morning) and 1 on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o recorded rain-induced oscillations before and after weak but probable DI inflation started just before 10 am. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded more than 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex has resumed flow through tubes to the ocean after a brief pause. Yesterday, CD officials noted decreasing vigor of the ocean entry in the early afternoon that completely shut off by 6:30 pm; however, surface flow activity on the pali and the coastal plain continued through the evening. GOES-WEST imagery revealed thermal anomalies between dense cloud cover this morning suggesting continuing surface flow activity on the coastal plain. This morning, CD officials report a plume from a possibly resumed ocean entry.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Thursday, January 1, 2009 08:16 HST (Thursday, January 1, 2009 18:16 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)
19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093.

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: A DI event is ongoing. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u vent are elevated above pre-2008 values; tephra production has decreased substantially. At the east rift eruption site, sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Pu`u `O`o vents remain elevated. Lava from the east rift zone vents flows through tubes to the ocean; surface flows are active on the pali and the coastal plain.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: Weak and variable winds produced a north-going plume that rotated westward in the afternoon; air quality was poor with the worst between 2 and 7:30 pm. The vent remained dark overnight. This morning, a thick white plume is being blown to the southwest. Recent rains are making fume from hot gas vents more visible along the south and west rims of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and variable. The most recent average measurement was 500 tonnes/day on December 31, still elevated above the 2003-2007 average rate of 140 tonnes/day.

Following a decreasing trend since Dec. 15, the Halema`uma`u vent produced minimal amounts of tephra that consist mostly of fine rock dust probably resulting from continuing rock falls within the vent.

The network of tiltmeters within the caldera recorded the start of DI deflation at 6:43 pm. The GPS receiver networks (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded a total 2 cm of contraction across the caldera over the previous 3 months.

Seismic activity continues to be focused on the south caldera; tremor levels have increased slightly with the start of the DI event as expected. A total of 6 earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath Kilauea or nearby, with 4 beneath the summit caldera and 1 on south flank faults.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continues to degas through Pu`u `O`o Crater. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,000 tonnes/day measured on December 24 compared to the 2003-2007 average of about 1,700 tonnes/day for this vent. No incandescence was observed within the crater overnight although the webcam did catch one lightning burst.

The tiltmeter on the north side of Pu`u `O`o recorded minor rain-induced oscillations before probable DI deflation started just before 4 am. GPS stations spanning the crater (less sensitive than tiltmeters) recorded more than 3 cm of contraction over the past 3 months. Seismic tremor levels near Pu`u `O`o and the TEB vent were at low values.

Lava from the TEB vent and the rootless shield complex flows through tubes to the ocean. Yesterday, HVO geologists reported two active breakouts on the coastal plain and a vigorous ocean entry with several shoreline explosions. Last night, CD officials reported a good New Year's Eve show with a strong ocean entry and lots of explosions; they also reported a distinct surface breakout high on the pali. GOES-WEST revealed a few thermal anomalies between dense cloud cover overnight suggesting continuing surface flow activity. This morning, CD officials report an active ocean entry and diminished surface activity on the pali.

HAZARD ALERT: The lava delta and adjacent areas both inland and out to sea are still some of the most hazardous areas on the flow field. Frequent delta/bench collapses give little warning, can produce hot rock falls inland and in the adjacent ocean and can produce large but local waves. The steam plume produced by lava entering the ocean contains fine lava fragments and an assortment of acid droplets that can be harmful to your health. The rapidly changing conditions near the ocean entry have been responsible for many injuries and a few deaths.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

HAVO: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UHH: University of Hawai`i at Hilo

glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.

FLIR: Forward Looking InfraRed, a camera which directly images heat rather than visible light. If volcanic fume is not too rich in water vapor, a FLIR can see through it to image hot surfaces.

pali: Hawaiian word for cliff or steep incline. In the context of the TEB flow field, 'pali' usually refers to Pulama pali that bisects the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.

CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense

DOH air quality monitoring: see Hawai`i State Department of Health Air Quality website http://hawaii.gov/doh/air-quality/index.html .

bomb: lava fragment ejected into the air while molten acquiring aerodynamic shapes in flight; the term is restricted to pieces larger than 6.4 cm (2.5 in.). See http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/bomb.html

hybrid, or explosion, seismic signals: complex earthquakes that are a hybrid of different signals. They start as a high frequency earthquake, similar to typical rock-breaking or rock fall events, that transitions to very long, 20-30 second, period (VLP) oscillations that continue for several minutes. At HVO, we observed these signals with the four small Halema`uma`u explosive eruptions in March, April, and August 2008. Several more similar signals, some as strong as the explosion signals associated with the four explosive eruptions, have been recorded without obvious evidenceof surface eruption such as rock fragments or other debris.

MODIS satellite: a NASA satellite pair, Aqua and Terra, which passes over Hawai`i twice a day. During daylight hours, the images are taken at about 11 am and 2 pm H.s.t. This imagery can be viewed about 3-5 hours after acquisition at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=AERONET_Mauna_Loa.

GOES-WEST satellite: a geostationary NOAA satellite used most often for weather tracking. Images are typically acquired every 15 minutes. The loop http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/kilauea/sloop-vis.html is posted by the Washington DC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for the purpose of tracking emissions from Hawai`i volcanoes. The imagery automatically switches from infrared at night to visual during the day. Recently, it has been useful for tracking volcanic gas emissions from Halema`uma`u, Pu`u `O`o, and the Waikupanaha ocean entry during the day and hot lava flows at night.

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawai`i Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (menu at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).

RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but were too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded by one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.

wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is due to the plume changing from translucent to opaque with rock dust.

tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.



microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.

ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.

incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).

tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.

ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.

TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.

DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.


Maps, photos, webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php. A daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.

A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

A definition of alert levels can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/2006/warnschemes.html