Eruption of Hi`iaka and Pauahi Craters on 5 May 1973,
Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

Early on the morning of 5 May 1973, lava in the craters of Mauna Ulu and `Alae shields abruptly drained away, leaving pits about 200 m and 30 m deep, respectively. Within 3.5 hours, a fissure on the floor of Pauahi Crater began erupting lava. About 2.5 hours later, activity shifted uprift to Hi`iaka Crater (map, right). During the 7-hour eruption, a small amount of lava was erupted from both craters. Of the 1.2 million m3 of lava erupted, 0.2 million m3 drained back into the rift zone. Two days later, activity resumed at Mauna Ulu and `Alae. Map of lava flows erupted from Hi`iaka and Pauahi craters on 5 May 1973, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i
Lava flows erupted from Hi`iaka and Pauahi Craters on 5 May 1973 shown in red; location of fissures shown by black lines with hachure marks.

Lava fountains erupting in Pauahi Crater, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

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 Pauahi Crater
In the first eruption of Pauahi Crater in more than 200 years, two small fissures opened in the bottom of the deeper west pit and spewed lava for little more than an hour. Most of the lava that ponded in the west pit drained away into the fissures. When the fissures stopped erupting, the lava pond was only about 20 m deep.

This view looks across the east pit of Pauahi Crater (note low divide between the two pits) toward the northwest.
 

Aerial view of lava fissure and flow pouring into Hi`iaka Crater, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

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 Fissure on edge of Hi`iaka Crater
About an hour after the fissures in Pauahi Crater stopped erupting, a new set of fissures opened in Hi`iaka Crater and also just west of the nearby Chain of Craters Road. Lava from these western fissures (upper right) flowed across the road and spilled into the shallow collapse basin (lower left) of Hi`iaka Crater.

This aerial view is toward the southwest across the shallow west pit of Hi`iaka Crater.

Aerial view of Hi`iaka Crater in eruption, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

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 Hi`iaka Crater
Active for 4 hours, lava fountains within the east pit of Hi`iaka Crater reached as high as 50 m. Note lava cascade pouring over the southwest rim of the east pit, fed by fountains that broke out in the shallow west pit of Hi`iaka Crater.

This aerial view is toward the southwest across the deep east pit of Hi`iaka Crater.

Modern views of Hi`iaka and Pauahi Craters

 

Photo of Hi`iaka Crater, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

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 Hi`iaka Crater (sisters of Pele, Hawaiian goddess)
This view looks northwest across the shallow collapse basin to the deep east pit crater. The shallow basin is paved with 1973 lava flows that poured into the east pit from fissures that opened immediately west of the Hi`iaka Crater.
 

Photo of Pauahi Crater, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

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 Pauahi Crater (destroyed by fire)
This view looks southeast across the shallower west pit to the larger east pit. The flows in the lower right erupted from a small shield (out of view in this photo) that was built by the November 1979 eruption; the flows spilled into the east pit. Note the high lava mark in the east pit from the November 1973 eruption.

References

Klein, F.W., Koyanagi, R.Y., Nakata, J.S., and Tanigawa, W.R., 1987, The seismicity of Kilauea's magma system, in Decker, R.W., Wright, T.L., and Stauffer P. H., (eds.), 1987, Volcanism in Hawaii: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1350, p. 1019-1185.

Tilling, R.I., Christiansen, R.L., Duffield, W.A., Endo, E.T., Holcomb, R.T., and Koyanagi, R.Y., Peterson, D.W., and Unger, J.D., 1987, The 1972-1974 Mauna Ulu eruption, Kilauea Volcano: an example of quasi-steady-state magma transfer, in Decker, R.W., Wright, T.L., and Stauffer P. H., (eds.), 1987, Volcanism in Hawaii: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1350, p. 405-469.