Recent Mauna Loa Status Reports, Updates, and Information Releases
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY MONTHLY UPDATE
Thursday, October 3, 2013 9:24 AM HST (Thursday, October 3, 2013 19:24 UTC)
HALEAKALA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-06-) 20°42'29" N 156°15' W, Summit Elevation 10023 ft (3055 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
There were no significant changes in the past month. One earthquake was detected in mantle beneath the east end of the submarine Hana Ridge; it was probably not related to volcanic activity.
Background: The most recent eruption on Haleakala was probably between A.D. 1480 and 1600. Haleakala Volcano is monitored by a continuous GPS instrument and a seismometer located near the southwest edge of the crater. Key sites on Haleakala are resurveyed using GPS receivers every few years to detect any changes in the volcano's shape.
HUALALAI VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-04-) 19°41'31" N 155°52'12" W, Summit Elevation 8278 ft (2523 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No unusual seismicity or deformation was detected in the past month. Two earthquakes (1 shallow, 1 deep) were located in vicinity of summit and NW rift zone of the volcano.
Background: Hualalai is the third most active volcano on Hawai`i Island and typically erupts 2 to 3 times per 1,000 years. Hualalai last erupted in 1801 and, more recently, had a damaging seismic swarm in 1929 that probably was the result of a shallow intrusion of magma. Hualalai Volcano is monitored by a single continuous GPS instrument and a single seismometer located southeast of the summit as well as several instruments on nearby flanks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Key sites on Hualalai and West Mauna Loa are resurveyed every other year to detect any changes in the volcano's shape. In addition, Hualalai deformation is assessed several times per year using satellite radar interferometry.
LO`IHI VOLCANO 18°55'12" N 155°16'12" W, Summit Elevation -3199 ft (-975 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: UNASSIGNED Current Aviation Color Code: UNASSIGNED
No unusual seismicity was detected in the past month. Three earthquakes were located in the vicinity of Lo`ihi volcano, all at mantle depths of more than 13 km.
Background: Lo`ihi was last active in 1952, when activity probably generated a small local tsunami, and 1996. There are no working instruments on Lo`ihi Volcano whose peak is about 1,000 m below sea level. All current information about the volcano is derived from land-based seismometers on Hawai`i Island.
MAUNA KEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-03-) 19°49'12" N 155°28'12" W, Summit Elevation 13796 ft (4205 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No unusual deformation or seismicity was detected in the past month. Eight deep (> 13 km deep) and two shallower earthquakes were detected beneath the volcano.
Background: Mauna Kea was last active about 4,600 years ago. Monitoring is conducted using three seismometers and one GPS receiver on the volcano plus instruments on adjacent Kohala volcano and denser seismic and geodetic networks on the north flank of Mauna Loa to the south. In addition, satellite radar interferometry data are available a few times per month with which possible deformation can also be evaluated.
MAUNA LOA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-02=) 19°28'30" N 155°36'29" W, Summit Elevation 13681 ft (4170 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No significant deformation was recorded; seismicity rates were slightly elevated.
Seismicity: Seismic activity in the summit area was elevated above background levels. HVO seismic networks detected 5 shallow events below summit area, 11 shallow events on the upper southwest rift, 2 shallow events on the lower southwest rift, 1 shallow events on the NE rift zone. An anomalous swarm to the west of Mauna Loa summit produced over 300 events in early September.
Deformation: There were no changes in deformation rates or patterns on Mauna Loa. No significant changes were recorded by GPS instruments nearest the recent earthquake swarm. Deformation continued to be dominated by southeasterly motion of the south flank.
Gas: No significant changes in SO2, CO2 were recorded by the Mokuaweoweo gas and temperature monitors during September. Fumarole temperature varied between 73 degrees near the beginning of the month, down to a low value near 70 at the end of the reporting period.
Background: Re-inflation of Mauna Loa's shallow magma storage reservoirs started immediately following the most recent eruption in 1984, then turned to deflation for almost a decade. In mid-2002, inflation started again, just after a brief swarm of deep long-period (LP) earthquakes. A more intense swarm of several thousand deep Long Period (LP) earthquakes occurred in late 2004, immediately preceding a dramatic increase in inflation rate. Inflation slowed again in 2006, ceased altogether in late 2009, and resumed slowly in late 2010.
Rising gradually to more than 4 km above sea level, Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on our planet. Its long submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 km, and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 km. This makes the volcano's summit about 17 km (56,000 ft) above its base! The enormous volcano covers half of the Island of Hawai`i and by itself amounts to about 85 percent of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined.
Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on Earth and is among Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since its first well-documented historical eruption in 1843. Its most recent eruption was in 1984.
CONTACT INFORMATION: askHVO@usgs.gov
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawai`i.
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY MONTHLY UPDATE
Saturday, September 7, 2013 8:39 AM HST (Saturday, September 7, 2013 18:39 UTC)
HALEAKALA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-06-) 20°42'29" N 156°15' W, Summit Elevation 10023 ft (3055 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
There were no significant changes in the past month.
Background: The most recent eruption on Haleakala was probably between A.D. 1480 and 1600. Haleakala Volcano is monitored by a continuous GPS instrument and a seismometer located near the southwest edge of the crater. Key sites on Haleakala are resurveyed using GPS receivers every few years to detect any changes in the volcano's shape.
HUALALAI VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-04-) 19°41'31" N 155°52'12" W, Summit Elevation 8278 ft (2523 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No unusual seismicity or deformation was detected in the past month. No earthquakes were located beneath the summit and northwest rift zone during the past month.
Background: Hualalai is the third most active volcano on Hawai`i Island and typically erupts 2 to 3 times per 1,000 years. Hualalai last erupted in 1801 and, more recently, had a damaging seismic swarm in 1929 that probably was the result of a shallow intrusion of magma. Hualalai Volcano is monitored by a single continuous GPS instrument and a single seismometer located southwest of the summit as well as several instruments on nearby flanks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Key sites on Hualalai and West Mauna Loa are resurveyed every other year to detect any changes in the volcano's shape. In addition, Hualalai deformation is assessed several times per year using satellite radar interferometry.
LO`IHI VOLCANO 18°55'12" N 155°16'12" W, Summit Elevation -3199 ft (-975 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: UNASSIGNED Current Aviation Color Code: UNASSIGNED
No unusual seismicity was detected in the past month. Three earthquakes were located in the vicinity of Lo`ihi volcano, all at mantle depths of more than 13 km.
Background: Lo`ihi was last active in 1952, when activity probably generated a small local tsunami, and 1996. There are no working instruments on Lo`ihi Volcano whose peak is about 1,000 m below sea level. All current information about the volcano is derived from land-based seismometers on Hawai`i Island.
MAUNA KEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-03-) 19°49'12" N 155°28'12" W, Summit Elevation 13796 ft (4205 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No unusual deformation or seismicity was detected in the past month. Three deep (> 13 km deep) and six shallower earthquakes were detected in the area.
Background: Mauna Kea was last active about 4,600 years ago. Monitoring is conducted using three seismometers and one GPS receiver on the volcano plus instruments on adjacent Kohala volcano and denser seismic and geodetic networks on the north flank of Mauna Loa to the south. In addition, satellite radar interferometry data are available a few times per month with which possible deformation can also be evaluated.
MAUNA LOA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-02=) 19°28'30" N 155°36'29" W, Summit Elevation 13681 ft (4170 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No significant deformation was recorded; seismicity rates were slightly elevated.
Deformation: There were no changes in deformation rates or patterns on Mauna Loa; deformation continued to be dominated by southeasterly motion of the south flank.
Seismicity: Seismic activity within the southwest rift zone was elevated above background levels. HVO seismic networks detected 1 shallow event below summit area , several scattered events (0-10 km) across the NW flank, 10 shallow events on the upper southwest rift, 5 shallow events on the lower southwest rift, 2 shallow events on the NE rift zone.
Gas: No significant changes in SO2, CO2 were recorded by the Moku`aweoweo gas and temperature monitors during August. Fumarole temperature varied between 71 and 74 degrees during the month.
Background: Re-inflation of Mauna Loa's shallow magma storage reservoirs started immediately following the most recent eruption in 1984, then turned to deflation for almost a decade. In mid-2002, inflation started again, just after a brief swarm of deep long-period (LP) earthquakes. A more intense swarm of several thousand deep Long Period (LP) earthquakes occurred in late 2004, immediately preceding a dramatic increase in inflation rate. Inflation slowed again in 2006, ceased altogether in late 2009, and resumed slowly in late 2010.
Rising gradually to more than 4 km above sea level, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on our planet. Its long submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 km, and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 km. This makes the volcano's summit about 17 km (56,000 ft) above its base! The enormous volcano covers half of the Island of Hawai`i and by itself amounts to about 85 percent of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined.
Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on Earth and is among Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since its first well-documented historical eruption in 1843. Its most recent eruption was in 1984.
CONTACT INFORMATION: askHVO@usgs.gov
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawai`i.
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY MONTHLY UPDATE
Tuesday, August 6, 2013 12:37 PM HST (Tuesday, August 6, 2013 22:37 UTC)
HALEAKALA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-06-) 20°42'29" N 156°15' W, Summit Elevation 10023 ft (3055 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
There were no significant changes.
Background: The most recent eruption on Haleakala was probably between A.D. 1480 and 1600. Haleakala Volcano is monitored by a continuous GPS instrument and a seismometer located near the southwest edge of the crater. Key sites on Haleakala are resurveyed using GPS receivers every few years to detect any changes in the volcano's shape.
HUALALAI VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-04-) 19°41'31" N 155°52'12" W, Summit Elevation 8278 ft (2523 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No unusual seismicity or deformation was detected. Four earthquakes were located beneath the summit and northwest rift zone during the past month.
Background: Hualalai is the third most active volcano on Hawai`i Island and typically erupts 2 to 3 times per 1,000 years. Hualalai last erupted in 1801 and, more recently, had a damaging seismic swarm in 1929 that probably was the result of a shallow intrusion of magma. Hualalai Volcano is monitored by a single continuous GPS instrument and a single seismometer located southwest of the summit as well as several instruments on nearby flanks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Key sites on Hualalai and West Mauna Loa are resurveyed every other year to detect any changes in the volcano's shape. In addition, Hualalai deformation is assessed several times per year using satellite radar interferometry.
LO`IHI VOLCANO 18°55'12" N 155°16'12" W, Summit Elevation -3199 ft (-975 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: UNASSIGNED Current Aviation Color Code: UNASSIGNED
No unusual seismicity was detected. One earthquake was located in the area of Lo`ihi volcano at a depth of more than 5 km.
Background: Lo`ihi was last active in 1952, when activity probably generated a small local tsunami, and 1996. There are no working instruments on Lo`ihi Volcano whose peak is about 1,000 m below sea level. All current information about the volcano is derived from land-based seismometers on Hawai`i Island.
MAUNA KEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-03-) 19°49'12" N 155°28'12" W, Summit Elevation 13796 ft (4205 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No unusual deformation or seismicity was detected. Six deep (> 13 km deep) and three shallow earthquakes were detected in the area.
Background: Mauna Kea was last active about 4,600 years ago. Monitoring is conducted using three seismometers and one GPS receiver on the volcano plus instruments on adjacent Kohala volcano and denser seismic and geodetic networks on the north flank of Mauna Loa to the south. In addition, satellite radar interferometry data are available a few times per month with which possible deformation can also be evaluated.
MAUNA LOA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-02=) 19°28'30" N 155°36'29" W, Summit Elevation 13681 ft (4170 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
No significant deformation was recorded; seismicity rates were slightly elevated.
Deformation: Deformation of Mauna Loa continued to be dominated by southeasterly motion of the south flank. The slow uplift that had been happening near the summit caldera was not apparent in July.
Seismicity: Seismic activity within the southwest rift zone was slightly above background levels. HVO seismic networks detected 2 shallow events below summit area , 9 shallow events on the upper southwest rift, 1 shallow events on the NE rift zone.
Gas: No significant changes in SO2, CO2 were recorded by the Mokuaweoweo gas and temperature monitors during July. Fumarole temperature varied between 72 and 74 degrees Centigrade during the month.
Background: Re-inflation of Mauna Loa's shallow magma storage reservoirs started immediately following the most recent eruption in 1984, then turned to deflation for almost a decade. In mid-2002, inflation started again, just after a brief swarm of deep long-period (LP) earthquakes. A more intense swarm of several thousand deep Long Period (LP) earthquakes occurred in late 2004, immediately preceding a dramatic increase in inflation rate. Inflation slowed again in 2006, ceased altogether in late 2009, and resumed slowly in late 2010.
Rising gradually to more than 4 km above sea level, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on our planet. Its long submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 km, and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 km. This makes the volcano's summit about 17 km (56,000 ft) above its base! The enormous volcano covers half of the Island of Hawai`i and by itself amounts to about 85 percent of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined.
Mauna Loa is among Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since its first well-documented historical eruption in 1843. Its most recent eruption was in 1984.
CONTACT INFORMATION: askHVO@usgs.gov
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes and earthquakes in Hawai`i.
