What we’ve learned from Kilauea’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption

During the first two weeks of Kilauea Volcano’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, fissures were characterized by low eruption rates and small flows. This was because the erupted lava originated from pockets of cooler, less fluid magma stored in the rift zone. Later fissures erupted hotter, more fluid magma, resulting in higher eruption rates and large, fast-moving lava flows, like that erupted from the fissure 8 cone, lower right, shown here on July 29, 2018. (M. Patrick/USCS Courtesy Photo)

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK — May 3 marks the one-year anniversary of the start of Kilauea Volcano’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Over the past year, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) geologists and collaborators have been closely studying the vast amount of data collected during the summer eruption. Now is a good time to explore what’s been learned, and what’s still unfolding.