Nieuwe uitbarsting Kilauea vulkaan op Hawaii

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New vent opened at Kilauea, shooting lave 65ft in the air

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the fissure eruption on Kilauea was spotted after the floor of the Pu'u O'o crater collapsed. A new vent has opened on one of the world's most active volcanos, sending lava shooting 65ft into the air.

It occurred along the middle of Kilauea's east rift zone, around two miles west of Pu'u O'o.
Eruption. The floor of the Pu'u O'o crater collapsed on Saturday triggering new eruptions along the east rift zone

Volcanologist Janet Babb said: 'This is what we do. These are the moments we wait for.

'It is exciting to see an eruption begin particularly if you can see it from the very start.'

Kilauea has been in constant eruption since January 3, 1983.

At the summit, lava receded rapidly after the eruption at around 5pm local time on Saturday, but seemed to have slowed yesterday.

There were also around 150 small earthquakes recorded within Kilauea in the last 24 hours.

Scientists said areas near the vent could erupt or collapse without warning, posing a threat to visitors or hikers to the area. Potentially lethal concentrations of sulphur dioxide gas could also be present within half a mile of vent areas.

Because of the latest activity, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has closed Chain of Craters Road and all east rift zone and coastal trails. Kulanaokuaiki campground has also been closed until further notice.

Ms Babb told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald that the fissure had expanded to around 1,605ft long and scientists were hiking into the remote area to observe it and take readings.

No homes are under threat.

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Kilauea Volcano: World’s most active volcano in Hawaii erupts

One of five shield volcanoes that collectively form the Island of Hawaii, Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on the surface of the earth.
The Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone, in particular, has been continuously erupting in the eastern rift-zone since 1983, making it the longest rift-zone eruption in the last 200 years. A total of thirty-four eruptions have taken place since 1952 excluding the current episode.
Although mostly known for non-explosive eruptions, Kilauea has had large explosive eruptions in the past as well. One such major episode occurred in 1959 during the Kīlauea Iki eruption when lava sprayed nearly 580 meters high.

Raw Video: Kilauea Volcano Erupts in Hawaii

Kilauea Volcano Hawaii: Spectacular Eruptions Seen after 150 Earthquakes Strike in 24 Hours

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Grote uitbarsting dreigt op Hawaii
HONOLULU - Paniek dreigt op het grote eiland van Hawaii, de vulkaan Kilauea staat op het punt uit te barsten. Wetenschappelijke waarnemers waarschuwen dat het wel eens een grote uitbarsting kan worden.

Gisteren zag men op sommige plekken in en rond de vulkaan de lava al tot 20 meter omhoog spuiten, wat enkele spektacuculaire beelden opleverde. Verder is geconstateerd dat de bodem in de krater is ingestort. Ook namen de seismografen vehoogde bevingen waar onder de aardkorst.

Inmiddels zijn medewerkers van de nationale parken (waar de vulkanen toe behoren) in hoogste staat van paraatheid gebracht. Toeristen en natuurliefhebbers wordt met klem verzocht op veilige afstand van de vulkaan en de lavavelden te blijven. Tot nu toe zijn er geen slachtoffers of gewonden gevallen bij de uitbarstingen. (CBR)

Kilauea Volcano Erupts

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Kilauea Volcano kept up its latest fireworks display yesterday with no sign of abating — much to the delight of a new wave of visitors.

The fissure eruption that started Saturday continued with "vigorous spattering," the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. Meanwhile, 18 small earthquakes rocked the area — 10 near the fountaining fissure, five below the summit and three on the south flank faults.

The largest was a magnitude-3.1.

The ground isn't the only thing jumping.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ranger Marnie Lane said there's been a noticeable rise in park visitors, especially Hawaii residents.

"They're coming in droves," she said. "If they haven't been to the park before, now is a good time."

George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau, said tourism numbers also are up, though he won't have precise figures until the end of the month.

"People have been calling," he said. "They want to know about it."

The interest has been fueled by images and sounds spread via satellite around the world. Internet images posted by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and other sites show the new fissure spewing gases and lava out of Kilauea's east rift.

Since Saturday there has been a sevenfold increase in traffic on the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website, said scientist Janet Babb.

The new fissure, west-southwest of Puu Oo, is one of many iterations at Kilauea since its current eruption began in January 1983 but is similar to an episode in 1997, Babb said.

"There's a lot of noise, lots of gas ... escaping rapidly."

In fact, the eruption at the fissure sounds like a low-flying jet plane as red molten rock shoots up 80 feet in the air, Babb said.

The lava itself is about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and the gases are toxic as they spread southeast on the trades.

As a precaution, scientists monitoring the activity at the new fissure are staying upwind. Park rangers also have closed Chain of Craters Road, Kulanaokuaiki Campground and the east rift trails.

Applegate said the volcano is the kind of breathtaking attraction that the typical Big Island visitor seeks out. The park had about 1.3 million visitors last year.

Once in the park, visitors realize there are other attractions, including the rain forest and native birds, Lane said.

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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts with greater fury
HONOLULU (Reuters) - The frequently restive Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii spewed a plume of lava 160 feet tall on Wednesday, more than twice as high as molten rock shot into the sky when eruptions flared anew on Saturday.

As eruptions continued at two spots, seismic activity grew more vigorous and poisonous sulfur dioxide gas emissions peaked at 10,000 tons per day, over 30 times last weekend's levels, before dropping off again by more than half, according to scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey.

The 2,000-degree Fahrenheit molten lava from Kilauea's summit and the newly ruptured Kamoamoa fissure have destroyed 78 acres of rain forest since Saturday and buried 162 acres of park land.

The ground around the eruptions has continued to collapse, and forests downwind of the fissure were choked with volcanic fumes that are toxic to the vegetation, said Mardie Lane, an official at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.

"We've been fortunate that we've had showers and rain," Lane told Reuters. "One of the biggest unknown dangers is the spread of sulfur dioxide gas. It's invisible, noxious and toxic. When our rangers are in the field, they use respirators to filter out the harmful gases."

No injuries to people or damage to residential property has been reported since Kilauea roared back to life on Saturday. USGS scientists continued to monitor the activity.

Kilauea is one of five volcanoes that formed the Big Island, officially known as the island of Hawaii. Periodic eruptions of the volcano have destroyed 213 homes since the volcano emerged from a period of dormancy in 1983.

The latest episode began with the 370-foot collapse of the floor of the Pu'u O'o crater and opening of the 535-yard long Kamoamoa fissure on March 5.

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Op donderdag 10 maart 2011 12:36 schreef Stokstaart het volgende:
Mooie beelden Frutsel

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Kilauea roares again
Scientists are closely monitoring heightened activity at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, which roared back to life last Saturday.

On Wednesday, the volcano on the Big Island spewed a plume of lava 160 feet tall, more than twice as high as the earlier eruptions.

No homes were threatened and no campers were injured, said park rangers, who cautioned visitors to still keep their distance from the volcano.

The 1,100 degree Celsius molten lava from Kilauea's summit and the newly ruptured Kamoamoa fissure have destroyed 32 hectares of rainforest and buried 66 hectares of parkland in the past week.

Kilauea is one of five volcanoes that formed the Big Island, officially known as the island of Hawaii.

Periodic eruptions of the volcano have destroyed 213 homes since the volcano emerged from a period of dormancy in 1983.

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Lava-sparked forest fire chars 1,166 acres on Big Island

Fires started from the Kamoamoa eruption of Kilauea Volcano burned more than 1,166 acres over two days, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said today.

Gusty winds today pushed the fires southwest toward Holei Pali, park officials said in a news release.

Park firefighters are holding the blaze to the east and north of Chain of Craters Road, which remains closed at Mau Loa O Mauna Ulu.

California firefighters are expected Friday as reinforcements.

The lava-ignited fire is moving through and area of uluhe fern and ohia that has burned at least twice due to lava flows, the park said.

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USGS confirms lava levels to rise
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has said that lava levels at the Halema’uma’u vent of the Kiluaea volcano have risen “slightly” in recent days and that a breach of the lava lake could occur.

The Kilauea volcano, one of five volcancoes that form the Big Island of Hawaii, is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet and has been continuously erupting since 1983, making it the longest rift-zone eruption of two centuries.

According to a HVO update on Thursday: “The summit lava lake level rose slightly but was otherwise stable; at the lower level, the lake is fed by a cascade from higher sources to the south during which seismic tremor levels were low and steady.”

Hazard Summary from HVO: “East rift vents and flow field – near-vent areas could erupt or collapse without warning with spatter and/or ash being wafted within the gas plume; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas may be present within 1 km downwind of vent areas. Kilauea Crater – explosive events are capable of ejecting rocks and lava several hundred meters (yards) from the Halema`uma`u vent; ash and Pele’s hair can be carried several kilometers downwind; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide can be present within 1 km downwind.”

The HVO noted that the gas plume from the volcano is more robust and drifting to the southwest this morning. It added: “The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 500 tonnes/day on June 7, 2011. Although not measured this morning, minute amounts of ash-sized tephra were probably wafted in the plume and deposited on nearby surfaces.”

Kilauea Volcano Footage Impresses [ABC: 6-08-2011]

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Latest eruption Kilauea calmes down
Eruptive activity at Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano has slowed during the last 24 hours, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

The crater floor and lava lake within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō collapsed and lava flowed out of its west flank on Wednesday, leading to the closure of some local roads in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The USGS stated on Saturday: “In the east rift zone: short lava flows continued to issue from west flank vents; lava continued to trickle onto the collapsed floor of Pu`u `O`o Crater. At the summit, the lava lake surface continued to recede. Seismicity was generally low. Gas emissions decreased but remained elevated from summit and rift zone vents.”

Tourists have since flocked to the site to view dramatic glows from the new Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption from several vantage points. In addition, Kīlauea’s summit eruption at Halema‘uma‘u crater continues, and visitors can often hear the roar from rocks exploding off crater walls, and can observe a beautiful red glow after nightfall.

Puu Oo Lava Flow Aerials - Mount Kilauea, Hawaii - August 4, 2011

Raw Video: Mt. Kilauea Erupts in Hawaii

PuuOoCrater20110803lg.mov

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Magnitude-4.7 shakes Big Island in Hawaii

(AP) HILO, Hawaii — A magnitude-4.7 earthquake and several small aftershocks shook Hawaii's Big Island on Sunday, but there were no reports of injury or damage.

The quake struck beneath the south flank of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at 4:36 p.m. (6:36 p.m. PST) at a depth of five miles, according to a report from the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter was about 25 miles south of Hilo and 220 miles southeast of Honolulu.

The National Weather Service said there was no tsunami threat.

About 20 small aftershocks came in the hours that followed, the largest a magnitude-3.1 about 10 minutes after the original quake.

The temblor was widely felt in Hilo and throughout the island, with about 600 people reporting that they felt light-to-moderate shaking, according to the USGS website.

The quake was initially measured at magnitude-5.0, but it was adjusted to magnitude-4.7 after a seismologist's review.

Joe Lopez, 70, said he felt a "pretty good jolt" at his home in Hilo.

Lopez told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser the quake sent books and other items tumbling to the floor.

There have been no reports of injury or damage, said Michael Yoshimura of Hawaii State Civil Defense.

Yoshimura said the agency opened its Hilo Emergency Operating Center immediately after the quake, but closed it down when no calls came in after 45 minutes.

The quake struck near the so-called Holei Pali area of Kilauea's south flank has had 16 earthquakes of magnitude-4.5 or greater in the past 50 years — eight of them since 1983, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb said in a statement Sunday night.

The observatory has not detected any significant changes in activity at the summits or rift zones of the Kilauea or Mauna Loa volcanoes, Babb said.