HILO — The vent inside Halema‘uma‘u Crater is blocked with debris, preventing more large ash plumes for the time being.
Kyle Anderson, a geophysicist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said it’s not known if this spells the end for the summit eruption or could lead to another explosion.
“We really don’t know the implications of this long term,” he said.
The summit eruption began 10 years ago inside Halema‘uma‘u and produced a lava lake until recently.
“We really don’t know the implications of this long term,” he said.
The summit eruption began 10 years ago inside Halema‘uma‘u and produced a lava lake until recently.
A drone mission on Thursday filmed details of the dramatic changes occurring within the crater summit.
Clearly visible were the steep, and in places, overhung crater walls, new cracks and faults that reflect ongoing subsidence of the area and intense steaming from a new collapse pit on the north margin of Halema‘uma‘u. Footage, available online at www.westhawaiitoday.com, also shows yellow sulfur precipitate on the rubble-covered floor and a scattering of large ballistic blocks around the crater rim.
The over flights collect visual information on what is happening at this rapidly changing eruption site. This information informs assessment of hazards, which is shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers.