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Vol. 12, Issue 170 - Tuesday, June 19, 2007

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COURTESY HAWAIIAN VOLCANO
OBSERVATORY
QUAKES' IMPACT: In the wake
of seismic activity rattling Kilauea Volcano since
Sunday, geologists will do a fly-over today at
Pu'u O'o vent, while the Chain of Craters Road
remains closed. CLICK FOR LARGE

Quakes rattle anew for an hour

Lava feeding Pu'u O'o vent drops dramatically

By Laurie Au
mailto:[email-masked]?subject=http://starbulletin.com/2007/06/19/

For most of yesterday, geologists at the Hawaiian Volcano
Observatory thought the rare string of small earthquakes
rattling the upper East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano was at
its end.

But about 4 p.m., the small earthquakes picked up again to
one or two a minute for the next hour, jolting geologists and
reminding them that Kilauea Volcano likes giving surprises.

"It was an exciting time all over again," said observa-
tory scientist-in-charge Jim Kauahikaua.

Before that burst in activity, the swarm of small
earthquakes diminished to fewer than 10 an hour, with
geologists ruling out the likelihood of a new eruption site.

CLICK FOR
LARGE

Though
it's too early to determine the long-term effects of the magma
intrusion that's causing the earthquakes, there has been a
dramatic decrease in lava feeding the Pu'u O'o vent that could
result in a pause in the eruption.

"The activity seems very subdued," Kauahikaua said. "We
can't determine if lava is being fed into the tubes."

Geologists will perform another flyover this morning to
take a closer look at the Pu'u O'o vent.

"In about a week after the earthquakes stop, we'll have a
very interesting story to tell," Kauahikaua said.

The Chain of Craters Road of the Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park will likely remain closed today as a precaution to
visitors since there is some ongoing seismic activity, said
ranger Mardie Lane.

COURTESY HAWAIIAN VOLCANO
OBSERVATORY
The Petunia flow, which began in
mid-May, continues to push toward the southeast.
The upper part of the lava flow has already
evolved into a well-developed lava tube that
transports lava downslope to feed the terminus of
the lengthening flow. CLICK FOR LARGE

The
entrance fee also will likely be waived. Visitors are able to
use Crater Rim Drive and the summit trails, which reopened
yesterday.

A intrusion of magma collecting beneath the rift between
Pauahi and Makaopuhi craters about 1 to 2 miles deep caused
most of the earthquakes.

While most of the earthquakes were small, with the largest
measuring 4.0 in magnitude Sunday, they caused a 3-inch crack
in the Chain of Craters Road that lifted the road about half
an inch, Lane said. Maintenance crews repaved it yesterday.

KILAUEA EVENTS
Other unusual occurrences at
Kilauea Volcano:

January 1997: A magma intrusion creates new
eruption sites in and northeast of Napau Crater, with
lava spewing for 22 hours. A 30-day pause in lava flow
at the Pu'u O'o vent also occurred.

September 1999: A magma intrusion generates a
swarm of small earthquakes, resulting in an 11-day pause
in lava flow at the Pu'u O'o vent, but no new eruption
sites.

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