Earth Watch Report  –  Volcanic Activity

 

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Hawaiian Lava Lake Hits New Record High

Becky Oskin, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer
Halemau'ma'u crater

The lava lake in Halemau’ma’u crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano on Jan. 10, 2013.
CREDIT: U.S. Geological Survey

The orange glow atop Hawaii’s Mount Kilauea was a little stronger yesterday (Jan. 15) than it has been in recent weeks. The volcano’s lava lake lapped over the inner ledge of its vent, reaching a new high and bring molten rock closer than ever to the floor of Halema’uma’u crater.

The level was about 80 feet (25 meters) below the crater floor, the highest level reached since the summit vent blasted open in March 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey reports. The lava lake last surged on Oct. 23, 2012, when the high mark was measured at 100 feet (31 m) below the crater floor.

Since fresh lava appeared atop Kilauea in 2008, the lake level has varied from near the crater to out of sight, more than 650 feet (200 m) beneath the crater floor. The lake sits in a vent, which is actually a pipe-like crater within the smaller crater called Halema’uma’u. And Halema’uma’u is also a crater within a crater — the giant Kilauea caldera, the bowl left behind when the volcano blew its top about 1500 A.D.

 

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