Kilauea is Hawaii's youngest volcano and one of the world's most active. Over 90 percent of Kilauea's surface is covered by lava less than 1,100 years old. In historical time, all of Kilauea's eruptions have occurred either in or near its summit caldera,

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Kilauea is Hawaii's youngest volcano and one of
the world's most active. Over 90 percent of
Kilauea's surface is covered by lava less than
1,100 years old. In historical time, all of
Kilauea's eruptions have occurred either in or
near its summit caldera, or along the east or
southwest rift zones. For the foreseeable future,
we can assume that active vents will be limited
to these areas
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The island of Hawaii is divided into zones
according to the degree of hazard from lava
flows. Zone 1 is the area of the greatest hazard,
Zone 9 of the least.
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The current vent at Kilauea consists of a small
lava lake about 100 meters (330 feet) across that
produces a relatively small thermal hot spot.
From this vent, lava is transported 10 kilometers
(6 miles) in lava tubes to the Pacific Ocean
where large steam plumes are generated by the
interaction between the hot lava and the ocean
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Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
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The eruption of Kilauea Volcano that began in
1983 continues at the cinder-and-spatter cone of
Puu Oo (high point on skyline). Lava erupting
from the cone flows through a tube system down
Pulama Pali about 11 km to the sea (lower left).
Oct 11, 2002, HVO
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Kilauea Volcanoes pathway of molten rock during
the eruption of Puu Oo, located on the east
rift zone about 20 km from the caldera.(Modified
after J. Johnson, 1984-2004)
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4/23/90
6/9/90
In June 1990, Walter's Kalapana Store and Drive
Inn (sign in photo above) was burned and covered
by lava in early June as flows moved relentlessly
through the Kalapana area. During this difficult
period, scientists of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano
Observatory provided detailed information on lava
movement to the Hawaii County Civil Defense,
which made decisions regarding evacuation, road
closures, and safe vantage points for residents
and visitors.
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Oblique map of Kilauea Volcano Most lava flows
erupted from Kilauea since A.D. 1790 (shown in
red) originated from the east rift zone, which
extends 34 miles (55 km) from the summit caldera
to the eastern tip of the Island of Hawaii. Lava
flows from the present eruption (shown in yellow)
span more than 9 miles (15 km) along the coast.
USGS
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During the first 3 1/2 years of the eruption,
fallout from lava fountains at Puu Oo built a
cinder-and-spatter cone 835 feet (255m) high,
more than twice as high as any other cone on
Kilauea's east rift zone. Cone growth ceased
after the activity shifted to Kupaianaha in
mid-1986. When the eruption returned to Puu Oo
in 1992, lava flows from flank vents built a
shield against the west flank of the cone (left).
in 1993, collapse pits appeared on the west flank
of Puu Oo as subsidence over the flank vents
undermined the cone. When the floor dropped in
January 1997, the weakened flank also failed,
leaving the prominent "west gap." Note growth of
the shield (right). USGS photos by Tari Mattox
and Christina Heliker
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Hawaii, 6/1/2001 NASA The black areas on the
island (in this scene) that resemble a pair of
sun-baked palm fronds are hardened lava flows
formed by the active Mauna Loa Volcano. Just to
the north of Mauna Loa is the dormant grayish
Mauna Kea Volcano, which hasnt erupted in an
estimated 3,500 years. A thin greyish plume of
smoke is visible near the islands southeastern
shore, rising from Kilaueathe most active
volcano on Earth. Heavy rainfall and fertile
volcanic soil have given rise to Hawaiis lush
tropical forests, which appear as solid dark
green areas in the image. The light green, patchy
areas near the coasts are likely sugar cane
plantations, pineapple farms, and human
settlementsThe black areas on the island (in this
scene) that resemble a pair of sun-baked palm
fronds are hardened lava flows formed by the
active Mauna Loa Volcano. Just to the north of
Mauna Loa is the dormant grayish Mauna Kea
Volcano, which hasnt erupted in an estimated
3,500 years. A thin greyish plume of smoke is
visible near the islands southeastern shore,
rising from Kilaueathe most active volcano on
Earth. Heavy rainfall and fertile volcanic soil
have given rise to Hawaiis lush tropical
forests, which appear as solid dark green areas
in the image. The light green, patchy areas near
the coasts are likely plantations, farms, and
towns.
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Kilauea erption strated on Jan 3, 1983, and
continues on presently. Pu'u O'o is the
longest-lived eruption in the 200-year record of
the Kilauea Volcano. Lava production rates are
hard to determine, but scientists estimate that
Pu'u O'o produces between 300,000 and 600,000
cubic meters of lava per day. In fact, Pu'u O'o's
broad field of lava flows have buried more than
130 square km of Kilauea's southern flank and
have added more than 300 hectares (860 acres) of
new land to the island. The bottom image is a
false-color composite using the ETM infrared
detectors (channels 6, 7, and 5), which are
sensitive to heat. The red regions show
solidified rock from previous lava flows. Notice
the thin yellow ribbon snaking toward the ocean
away from where the steam is venting. This yellow
ribbon shows the location of a river of molten
rock running beneath the surface--called a lava
tube. Such areas are particularly dangerous to
hikers and explorers as these tubes may collapse
without warning
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Lava Tubes on Mt. Kilauea Kilauea's caldera is
located toward the northwestern corner (upper
left) of the image. The brown hues show volcanic
rock, while dark browns and black show relatively
recent lava flows that have cooled and solidified
into rock. The green hues show forest canopy,
white pixels are clouds, and the blue to the
south and east is the open Pacific Ocean. Notice
the thin plume of steam streaming from one of
Pu'u O'o's active lava tubes.
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Kilauea 1994 Space Radar Image Map Deformation
map of the south flank of Kilauea volcano on the
big island of Hawaii, centered at 19.5 degrees
north latitude and 155.25 degrees west longitude.
The south flank of the Kilauea volcano is among
the most rapidly deforming terrains on Earth.
Several regions show motions over the six-month
time period. Most obvious is at the base of
Hilina Pali, where 10 centimeters (4 inches) or
more of crustal deformation can be seen in a
concentrated area near the coastline. On a more
localized scale, the currently active Pu'u O'o
summit also shows about 10 centimeters (4 inches)
of change near the vent area. Finally, there are
indications of additional movement along the
upper southwest rift zone, just below the Kilauea
caldera in the image. Deformation of the south
flank is believed to be the result of movements
along faults deep beneath the surface of the
volcano, as well as injections of magma, or
molten rock, into the volcano's "plumbing"
system. Detection of ground motions by GPS.
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Volcanic gases escape from vents on the crater
floor of the Puu Oo cone, located 12 miles (19
km) east of the summit of Kilauea Volcano. Since
1987, repeated collapses of the cone have
resulted in a crater more than 1,300 feet (400 m)
long. The crater floor is 40 feet (13 m) below
the lowest part of the rim. In the distance
(upper left), steam plumes rise where lava flows
pour into the sea, about 7 miles (11 km) south of
Puu Oo. USGS photo by Richard Hoblitt, May
2002.
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The Hawaiian archipelago, the most isolated
island group of comparable size and topographic
diversity on Earth, is about 4,000 kilometers
from the nearest continent and 3,200 kilometers
from the nearest high-island group (the Marquesas
Islands of French Polynesia). The state of Hawaii
consists of 132 islands, reefs, and shoals
stretching 2,400 kilometers in a
northwest-southeast direction between latitudes
28N and 19N (Price 1983). The eight major high
islands, located at the southeast end of the
chain (Fig. 2), make up more than 99 of the
total land area. The youngest island, Hawaii, has
an area of more than 10,000 square kilometers
(63 of the total area of the state) and has
elevations of more than 4,000 meters. The island
of Hawaii has five volcanoes, two of which are
highly active. These islands are part of a longer
chain that was produced during at least a
43-million-year period by the northwestward
movement of the ocean floor over a hot spot below
the Earth's crust (Fig. 3). The oldest rocks of
the eight high islands range from 420,000 years
old (the island of Hawaii) to about 5 million
years old (Kauai). The relatively tiny eroded and
submerged islands and reefs extending to the
northwest are remnants of high islands that
existed millions of years ago
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Kilauea volcano, which overlaps the east flank of
the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano, has been
Hawaii's most active volcano during historical
time. Eruptions of Kilauea are prominent in
Polynesian legends written documentation
extending back to only 1820 records frequent
summit and flank lava flow eruptions that were
interspersed with periods of long-term lava lake
activity that lasted until 1924 at Halemaumau
crater, within the summit caldera. The 3 x 5 km
caldera was formed in several stages about 1500
years ago and during the 18th century eruptions
have also originated from the lengthy East and SW
rift zones, which extend to the sea on both sides
of the volcano. About 90 of the surface of the
basaltic shield volcano is formed of lava flows
less than about 1100 years old 70 of the
volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. A
longterm eruption from the East rift zone that
began in 1983 has produced lava flows covering
more than 100 sq km, destroying nearly 200 houses
and adding new coastline to the island.
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The Puu Oo-Kupaianaha eruption of Kilauea
(1983-present) is the volcanos longest rift-zone
eruption in more than 600 years. Lava flows have
buried 43 square miles (111 km2) of the volcano
and added 544 acres (220 ha) to the Island of
Hawaii. Puu Oo-Kupaianaha Eruption
Statistics, 1983 to 2003 Lava flows Area
covered 42.6 square miles (110.4 km3 )New land
544 acres (220 ha) Volume 0.6 cubic miles (2.3
km3) Thickness along coast 33-115 feet (10-35
m) Highway covered 8 miles (13 km) Structures
destroyed 189 Puu Oo Maximum height, 1987
835 feet (255 m) Height (September 2002) 613
feet (187 m) Crater size 820 x 1, 312 feet (250
x 400 m) Height of west flank shield 260 feet
(80 m)
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Location19.425 N 155.292 W Elev. Above Sea
Level1,277 m4,190 ft Area1,430 km2552
mi2(13.7 of Hawaii) Volume25,000-35,000
km36,000-8,500 mi3
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Hawaiian Meaning The Hawaiian name "Kilauea"
means "spewing" or "much spreading," apparently
in reference to the lava flows that it erupts.
Most Recent Eruption Continuous since January
3, 1983 Number of Historical Eruptions 61, not
counting the continuous lava-lake activity in
Halemaumau crater Summit Caldera The caldera
itself has no Hawaiian name other than Kilauea
but houses the famous crater, Halemaumau
"hale" is a house, "maumau" a type of fern.
Kamapuaa, a jilted suitor of Pele, is said to
have built a house of ferns over Halemaumau to
keep Pele from escaping her home and causing
eruptions. The ploy failed. Dimension 6 x 6 km
(outermost faults), 3 x 5 km (main depression)
Depth 165 m deep Age probably several
incremental collapses 500-210 years ago Oldest
Dated Rocks 23,000 years old Estimated Age of
Earliest Subaerial Eruptions 50,000-100,000
years Estimated Age of First Eruption of
Kilauea 300,000-600,000 years BP Hawaiian
Volcano Stage Shield-forming stage
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Much of Earth's internal heat comes from the
radioactive decay of heavy elements. showing
that a large portion of the volcano has shifted
seaward more than 5 meters since 1970. These
motions may presage a catastrophic collapse of
Kilauea into the sea
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Mount Rainier has 25 times as much ice as Mount
St. Helens did. It can cause catastrophic debris
slides known as lahars, which in the past have
reached Puget Sound. The cutaway shows how
infiltrating water is heated it melts glacier
bottoms and, with hydrogen sulfide added, turns
rock to clay.
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The chronology of the first 2 decades of the Puu
Öö- Küpaianaha eruption lacks a final chapter.
Our ability to predict the onset of a Kïlauea
eruption far exceeds our ability to predict its
end. In the early years of this eruption,
we speculated that a large earthquake might
disrupt the rift-zone plumbing and bring the
activity to a close. Although the eruption has
not yet been tested by an Mgt7 earthquake,
the activity has proven remarkably impervious to
lesser tectonic and magmatic events. In its first
decade, the eruption weathered the M6.6 Kaöiki
earthquake of 1983 and the M6.1 Kalapana
earthquake of 1989. In MarchApril 1984, Mauna
Loa erupted for 3 weeks, while at Puu Öö,
episode 17 occurred on schedule, and the two
volcanoes erupted simultaneously (Wolfe
and others, 1988). In 1997, Puu Öö revived
after substantial edifice collapse and a
prolonged hiatus in activity. Thus far, the Puu
Öö-Küpaianaha eruption has withstood all of
these events and shows no sign of faltering the
eruption continues unabated.
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Steam is formed from rainwater dripping down the
crack onto the hot rocks of the volcano. Some
plants are thriving in the mist.
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Kilauea currently emits over 2,000 tons of sulfur
dioxide each day. Hawaiis trade winds disperse
these volcanic gases however its not wise to get
too close to these concentrated fumes
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Volcanic Emissions Wet deposition, Gases and
Vapors Water H2O (70) Carbondioxide CO2 (15)
N2 and nitrogen compounds (5) sulfur compounds
(H2S, SO4, SO2, etc.) (5) minor amounts of Cl,
H2, Ar, etc.NO free oxygen Between 100 and 2000
metric tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are released
per day from Kilauea. The rain is so acidic that
a desert has formed downwind from the summit of
the volcano.
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SO2, 2002