USGS Status Update of Kīlauea Volcano - June 13, 2018

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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Status of Kīlauea Volcano

June 13, 2018, Jessica Ball, USGS Volcanologist


Image Dimensions: 1920 x 1080

Date Taken:

Length: 00:01:44

Location Taken: Kīlauea Volcano, HI, US


Good morning. This is the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Kilauea update for June 13.


In the Lower East Rift Zone,

Fountaining at fissure 8 continues to feed a fast-moving channelized lava flow entering the ocean at Kapoho. The cone itself has grown taller and wider and the fountains are reaching heights of 130-140 feet. There is. A large steam plume at the ocean entry, where lava is flowing into the water at multiple points. Offshore zones of hot water upwelling continue to be sighted, although they are now more dispersed.

Yesterday we received a lot of questions about the color of the plume from fissure 8, which appeared darker in the afternoon. This was not due to a change in the composition of the plume, but an effect of the angle of the light hitting it. This plume contains a lot of water vapor, which can appear dark at times, just like any cumulus cloud or thundercloud. When there are blue or brown tinges to the plume, it means light is passing through or being refracted by the sulfur aerosols. In general, gas emissions from fissure 8 remain high.

Fissures 16/18 are still glowing noticably at night, but the sporadic spattering observed over the last several days has diminished.

Moving to the summit,

At 3:39AM, another small explosion occurred at Kilauea's summit, producing a plume which rose 7 to 8,000 feet above sea level and drifted southwest with the trade winds. Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halema'uma'u crater continues, and several large rockfalls from the crater walls were detected overnight.


Thank you.