June 9: Fissure 8 Rearranges the Furniture

July 9, 2018. USGS: “Lava entering the ocean as seen through steam and rain early this morning.” (Full-sized)
Today’s Eruption Summary

Wild weather, overflows and significant channel reorganization have made the Lower East Rift Zone more interesting today than those living near Bryson’s cinder pit would like.

July 9, 2018. USGS: “This photograph taken during this morning’s overflight shows heavy, localized rain at fissure 8 in Leilani Estates.” (Full-sized)

Sunrise overflights by the USGS and @hotseathawaii spotted a torrential downpour centered directly over the upper lava flow (above). A rain gauge in Leilani Estates measured 9.22″ rainfall at 7am for the past 24 hours; another just a little farther away measured 6″ over the same span. All that updraft, convection and condensation even produced a modest… lavaspout…? captured on video (strong language warning):

The Kapoho end of the LERZ eruption was even more chaotic. Over the weekend, several non-USGS sources had reported that lava was starting to shift back to the south after passing Kapoho Crater, forming a slow-moving flow headed for Ahalanui Ponds (and sparing 3 of the 4 remaining Kapoho Beach Lots houses). This morning, HVO status updates confirmed the change: “The main lava channel has reorganized and is nearly continuous to the ocean on the south side of the flow, expanding the south margin by several hundred meters.” Also, while the ocean entry was still a very broad 2.5 mile front at sunrise, it’s started to coalesce a bit and shift towards the south:

July 9, 2018 (later in the morning; can’t be afternoon because of sun position). USGS: “Sourthern end of the active fissure 8 flow margin north of the Analannui Park [sic], known as the warm ponds. The flow margin is estimated to be about 500 m (0.3 mi) from the park.” (Full-sized)
However, blockages in the braided section of the lava river caused further havoc later in the day. HVO’s afternoon status update reported that, “Early this afternoon, observers reported multiple overflows occurring along both sides of the main lava channel, in an area extending from near the ‘Y’ intersection at Pohoiki Road eastwards to an area just west of Kapoho Crater. Overflows on the upper part of the channel did not extend beyond areas previously covered in lava. Overflows further down the channel have reached beyond the flow field, including one flow lobe that is moving northeast from the main channel towards Cinder Rd.”

July 9, 2018. USGS: “The lower section of the fissure 8 lava channel appears to be almost completely crusted over, and the lava level in the channel was lower during this morning’s overflight.” (Full-sized)

[HVO afternoon status update cont’d] “Based on information from ground observers and morning and afternoon overflights, the lower part of the main lava channel has undergone significant reorganization. In particular, the channel that had been open near Four Corners is now mostly crusted over, and plumes from ocean entry are significantly reduced. It is likely this is due to a blockage that formed in the early morning in the main channel upstream of Kapoho Crater. Flow volumes coming out of Fissure 8 remain significant, and it is possible that changes in flow channels will continue to occur in the coming days.”

Meanwhile, up at the summit, it’s business as usual. This morning’s collapse event occurred at 9:20am, registering once again as 5.3:

USGS posted yesterday’s thermal map first thing this morning, plus a 2pm map today showing these changes:

July 8, 6am thermal map:
July 8, 2018, 6am. USGS: “This thermal map shows the fissure system and lava flows as of 6 am on Sunday, July 8. The fountain at Fissure 8 remains active, with the lava flow entering the ocean at Kapoho,” (Full-sized)
July 9, 2pm thermal map
July 9, 2018, 2pm. USGS: “This thermal map shows the fissure system and lava flows as of 2 pm on Monday, July 9. The upper part of the Fissure 8 flow is not shown here as weather conditions did not allow data collection in that area – only the lower part of the flow is shown here. The fountain at Fissure 8 remains active. Numerous overflows today appear to have disrupted the supply of lava to the ocean. The open channel terminates just west of Four Corners, with several overflows on the north and south margins of the flow.” (Full-sized)
July 9, 2pm lava field map
July 9, 2018, 2pm USGS map of lava flows. USGS: “Lava stalling on the coastal plain of Kīlauea Volcano’s #LERZ; some overflows to the north and south; total flow area 11.2 square miles; new lava delta is ~625 acres.” (Full-sized)
From Other Agencies

Civil Defense put out an afternoon update warning people along Cinder Road to be prepared to voluntarily evacuate, since some of those overflows were a bit close for comfort.

USGS 11AM Media Conference Call

Tina Neal gave the USGS report during today’s media briefing, which meant it was even more informative than usual. I wrote up the transcript in a separate post.

From Local News Outlets

Bruce Omori, Sunday morning photo of SW edge of lava flow showing Warm Pond and Kua O Ka La school:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 6:00 pm – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: Lava was approximately 150 yards from Ahalanui Beach Park, also known as the Warm Ponds, and the Kua O Ka La Charter School.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Mick Kalber July 9 Overflight

Ah, here we go. Limited overflight this morning, because the rain and clouds kept the helicopter well away from Fissure 8. But they could at least check out the long ocean entry, the school and Ahalanui Warm Pond. Here’s Mick’s notes for this flight.

(I think later in the day diminished flow due to blockages in the braided area and/or reorganization of the flow channels shut off most of this flow front apart from the southern parts.)

USGS Q&A ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Q: Will [Halema’uma’u] crater ever fill again?
USGS: It may, but it might take years or even decades. The last time lava drained from the summit in 1982, it took until 2008 before lava reappeared at the summit.

Q: The 5.3 events on 7/6, 7/8 and 7/9 are in a slightly different location from most of the others. Does this have any significance?
USGS: Probably not. HVO seismologists have commented that locating the last several events has been very tricky because they have been immediately preceded or accompanied by smaller earthquakes, which makes getting a location incredibly difficult. They don’t feel that there is any real difference in locations at this point.

Q: [Theory about daily events being caused by steam explosions trapped underground.]
USGS: It’s certainly possible that groundwater is mixing with hot rock and generating steam. But the collapse events are no longer explosive in nature (they were in May, but not since early June — things have evolved over time). They actually resemble mine collapse seismicity, Our interpretation of the increasing earthquakes before each collapse event is that they represent stress building up on the faults before they drop downward.

July 9, 2018. USGS: “Small, ash-poor plume associated with the summit collapse explosion event at 9:20 a.m. HST. The pinkish gray plume can be seen on left side of image near the ground.” (Full-sized)

Q: We’re hearing rumors that the speed limit between Leilani and Pahoa on Highway 130 was lowered because of hotspots. Is that true?
USGSWe haven’t heard this rumor, nor seen any hotspots in this area (and we drive between Pahoa and Leilani on Highway 130 several times a day). This wouldn’t make sense anyway, as the conduit carrying magma between the summit and Fissure 8 crosses under highway 130 south of Leilani (where the steel plates are over the cracks). We monitor these cracks on a daily basis and have investigated those that are uprift in the Ala Ili neighborhood.

Q: Is there an estimate of the size of that conduit to accommodate the amount of lava emerging from the vents?
USGS
Based on deformation data, it looks like the conduit is about 4 meters across. That’s how much the rift zone opened when the intrusion was first emplaced. it is possible that there has been a subtle change in size since that time, but if so, it occurred in a way that we were not able to detect.

 

Q: What happens when rain water interacts with the lava?
USGS: Mostly just steam! That’s why there are so many steaming areas at the summit and in the rift zone following rain or fog.Z
Q: Does it turn to SO2?
USGS: There is already SO2 gas in the magma. Moisture in the air can react with SO2 to form H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), which is how acid rain becomes a hazard.

Q: What’s the widest above-ground lava flow ever recorded? How does F8 compare?
USGS: That has several answers. The channel (holding the lava ‘river’) is only part of the whole flow. Channels can get up to a few hundred meters wide. However lava flows can be much larger, and eruptions of flood basalts () have created flows 100s of km long.

Q: Is this the largest flow from Kilauea since modern recordkeeping?
USGS: As with most things, it depends on how you want to tabulate things. The 35-year-long activity from Pu`u `O`o was by far the largest effusion of lava of the past 200 years in Hawaii. But the current activity is the longest period of sustained high effusion rate. The rate probably does not match the highest rates seen during Mauna Loa eruptions, but those have not lasted as long as the current activity.

July 9, 2018. USGS: “Fissure 8 and Leilani Estates viewed from the south. Houses in the foreground are located in the southern portion of Leilani Estates. Fissure 8 and surrounding lava and tephra deposits are shrouded in steam, caused by rain water being heated by the warm deposits.” (Full-sized)

Q: We are getting eyewitness accounts of a smoke plume in the vicinity of Railroad and Cinder Rd. Any news on this?
USGS: There is quite a bit of steam coming from the lava flows in that area (probably from rain), but you may also be seeing burning vegetation. We’ll pass on your message to the field crew.
[This Tweet convo continued with USGS asking for more details. I am pretty sure that this Tweet exchange led via field crew’s investigation to alerts about a new flow/spillover at Cinder Rd.]

Q: Any updates on breaches in the lava river?
USGS: There are some overflows in the area above Bryson’s cinder pit that are covering new ground on both sides of the flow — we’re evaluating those now. This is being caused by a blockage in one of the “braids” in the braided section of the channel, forcing all of the flow into a single braid. There are also minor overflows in the 132/Pohoiki area, but these are not traveling far (none have traveled outside the area already covered by lava).

Q: Has the west side of F8 cone continued to subside, or is it stable now?
USGSWe have seen evidence for some minor slumping, but nothing dramatic.

Q: Was there seismic activity at the lava delta in the past few days? Does that mean it might be unstable and collapse, causing “wave activity”?
USGS: The ocean entry does create seismic noise, but not earthquake activity. Lava deltas are, however, inherently unstable, and it this one could create local waves if it collapsed. It would not create a tsunami or affect the other islands.

Q: How close is the delta to extending east of Cape Kumakahi?
USGS: It’s several hundred feet at least, but advancing outward only slowly.
Followup: Maybe it’ll just hit that shelf and drop into the deep sea. How far is it from the steep drop?
USGS: It’s hard to say, since there has also been some underwater lava activity, but it’s almost certainly close.
Q: Is there a reason there are no underwater videos?
USGS: That’s actually not a capability we have!

Q: I can normally see the eruption plume and ocean entry plume from my house, but not much today.
USGSThe entry plume is much diminished today. There is a channel overflow occurring from above Bryson’s cinder pit that is keeping some lava from reaching the ocean.

Q: Are any lava flow diversion techniques being employed?
[another Twitter user, @Xstormyz] no -previous attempts to influence lava flow directions (hawaii, iceland, …) showed little to no effect so there is no point in making use of those, also if lava was diverted and took out homes on the new path – who would be liable?… therefore it’s not going to happen anymore
USGS: That’s correct. Previous lava flow diversion in Hawai’i has been unsuccessful. It also comes with cultural considerations, as well as legal ones. You can read more about past attempts here:

From Other Photographers & Social Media

Bruce Omori’s photos from yesterday are as stunning as I expected, based on glimpses via @hotseathawaii’s livestream:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: Spectacular crepuscular rays illuminate the early morning sky over Leilani Estates and fissure 8.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 6:00 pm – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: Robust activity was observed at the ocean entry, as the flow front was at least 2 miles wide.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: Fissure 8 continues to feed the massive 8 mile long channelized flow to the sea.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Another view of school (red roofs, end of Hwy 137) and Warm Pond barely visible beyond it:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: A peek beneath the plumes during our morning overflight shows the progress the flow has made southward.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Closeup of new southward-marching “lava lobe” on Sunday:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: A peek beneath the plumes during our morning overflight shows the progress the flow has made southward.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Kapoho Beach Lots:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: A few homes remain in Kapoho beach lots.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Clear view of Fissure 22 and its cone with incandescent hole spattering out the top and making a tiny lava flow NE:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: Puna Geothermal Venture's facility still sits relatively untouched by the flows.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Fissure 8 from above:

Sunday, July 8, 2018, 5:45 am – Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: An overhead view of fissure 8.

Posted by Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery on Monday, July 9, 2018

Andrew Richard Hara’s put up a Facebook post and photo album covering a recent National Guard Media Tour of Leilani Estates. A few photos from this album:

Posted by Andrew Hara on Monday, July 9, 2018

Posted by Andrew Hara on Monday, July 9, 2018

Posted by Andrew Hara on Monday, July 9, 2018

Posted by Andrew Hara on Monday, July 9, 2018

Posted by Andrew Hara on Monday, July 9, 2018

Janice Wei was evidently on the same tour and caught a lavanado! Plus the sound of the lava and coqui frogs: