Lava Update | January 25, 2019

It’s been about two months since our last overflight, and as expected, there’s no visible eruptive activity to report. Isolated areas of the eruption zone continue to degas, but much of the vegetation downwind of the rift is coming back to life. 🙂 Access to the Puna Geothermal Venture facility has been restored, as a road has been cut through the perched channel and lava field. Steam continues to rise from the area near Hwy 130, as ground settling/shifting continues. And, while a gas plume rose from Pu‘u ‘O‘o as we flew over Kapoho, it had cleared substantially by the time we approached the crater, and we were able to peer into its depths… and, still no sign of my iPhone. lol!! Lastly, Halemaumau crater’s new look continues to leave us awestruck, as it is so drastically different from what we’ve been accustomed to seeing all these years… Amazing!!

A beautiful stretch of black sand was deposited by the flow as it entered the sea at Kapoho. Kapoho crater lies in the upper right corner of the image, as a plume of gas rises out of Pu‘u ‘O‘o beyond it.

Gases still rise from the line of fissures on the east rift zone, as a plume escapes out of Pu‘u ‘O‘o in the distance. The pu‘u on the right edge of the frame is Kapoho crater.

The new black sand beach at Pohoiki is as beautiful as ever! A number of little plumes of rising gas are visible on the flow field, an indication of residual heat still radiating from the lava.

Several little bodies of water were trapped as sand accumulated within Pohoiki Bay.

Several large kipukas were created when flows from fissures 20 and 22 advanced to the sea in May 2018.

A line of rising plumes of gas and steam stretches from Leilani Estates to an area above Hwy 130.

One of the more compelling kipukas created by this eruption, as a very short stretch of Pohoiki Rd and a driveway still remains.

Another thought provoking kipuka, as a couple short sections of paved streets remain, as do several homes, while gases still vent from the line of fissures that effused all this lava that surrounds them.

Access roads to the Puna Geothermal Venture facility have been cut through the perched channel.

Access roads to the Puna Geothermal Venture facility have been cut through the perched channel.

Gases still rise from the line of fissures and ground cracks that were created during this past year’s eruption.

The infamous fissure 8 sits dormant within the Leilani Estates subdivision as several adjacent fumaroles vent gas.

A string of rising gas plumes stretch about a 1/4 mile westward, from just below Hwy 130. Plumes from Pu‘u ‘O‘o and Halemaumau can be seen in the upper left of the frame.

A string of rising gas plumes stretch about a 1/4 mile westward, from just below Hwy 130.

Pu‘u ‘O‘o continues to vent sulfur dioxide from several spots, but at a much reduced rate relative to prior and during the eruption this past year.

Pu‘u ‘O‘o is so drastically different from prior to the eruption!

Although gases still rise from Pu‘u ‘O‘o’s crater, a clear view of the bottom, more than 1,000′ below its rim, is possible if conditions allow.

A view of Kīlauea caldera, looking south, with Halemaumau on its far side and Mauna Loa in the upper right.

A view of Kīlauea caldera, looking east. The steam vent bluff is at the bottom middle of the frame, while the Jaggar Museum sits near the right edge.

A view of the enlarged Halemaumau crater within Kīlauea caldera, with Mauna Kea in the background. Keanakakoi crater is in the lower right of the frame.

Halemaumau is now a massive inverted cone-shaped crater, having more than doubled its size after numerous collapses of its floor and sides, as magma evacuated the reservoirs beneath Kīlauea caldera.

Halemaumau is now approximately 1500′ deep and a mile in diameter.

A section of Crater Rim Drive is visible on a sunken portion of Halemaumau’s rim.