The Pu'u 'O'o-Kupaianaha eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, 1983 to 2003

Heliker, Christina; Brantley, Steven R.

doi:10.3133/fs14402

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…It thus appears that, in these cases, large subsurface voids were excavated, or created due to magma evacuation, to the point where the overlying structures could no longer be supported. Repeated lava extrusion, lava drain back, spatter cone formation, cone collapse, floor collapse and construction, and inflation/deflation of the Pu`u `O`o system during the last 20 years [ Heliker and Mattox , 2003; Heliker et al , 2003] is compelling evidence for the complex nature of the subsurface.…”

Section: Thermal Observations Of Pistoningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The motivation of our study is to describe the thermal manifestations of gas pistoning as recorded by our a system of telemetered thermal infrared thermometers located on the north rim of Pu`u `O`o crater of Kilauea Volcano [ Harris et al , 2003, 2005a]. Pu`u `O`o cone initially formed during the opening fountaining phases of the Pu`u `O`o‐Kupaianaha eruption during 1983–1986 [ Wolfe et al , 1988; Heliker et al , 2003]. The crater subsequently widened during 1992–1997 to attain an elliptical form with dimensions of 240 × 400 m [ Heliker et al , 2003].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pu`u `O`o cone initially formed during the opening fountaining phases of the Pu`u `O`o‐Kupaianaha eruption during 1983–1986 [ Wolfe et al , 1988; Heliker et al , 2003]. The crater subsequently widened during 1992–1997 to attain an elliptical form with dimensions of 240 × 400 m [ Heliker et al , 2003]. Throughout our study period (2002), Pu`u `O`o was continuously erupting lava flows from flank vents just outside the crater.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thermal observations of gas pistoning at Kilauea Volcano

2005

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Data acquired by three continuously recording thermal infrared thermometers situated on the north rim of Pu`u `O`o Crater at Kilauea Volcano during 2002 revealed episodes of periodic thermal pulses originating from a degassing vent on the crater floor. These thermal pulses are interpreted as gas release (jetting events) associated with gas pistoning, a mechanism observed previously at both Mauna Ulu and Pu`u `O`o. During a 35‐day‐long period spanning June and July 2002, gas pistoning was frequently the dominant mode of gas release, with as many as several hundred pulses occurring in uninterrupted series. On other days, degassing alternated between periods of quasi‐continuous gas jetting and intervals of gas pistoning that contained a few to a few dozen pulses. Characteristic time intervals between pistoning events ranged from 2 up to 7 min. We identify three types of pistoning. Type 1 involves emission of lava, followed by gas jetting and drain back; type 2 is the same but the elevated position of the vent does not allow postjet drain back; and type 3 involves gas jetting only with no precursory lava flow. To explain gas pistoning, we apply a model whereby a stagnant cap of degassed magma develops in the conduit below the vent. Gas bubbles rise through the magma column and collect under the cap. The collective buoyancy of these bubbles pushes the cap upward. When the cap reaches the surface, it erupts from the vent as a lava flow. Unloading of the conduit magma in this way results in an abrupt pressure drop (i.e., the overburden felt by the bubbles is reduced), causing explosive gas expansion in the form of gas jetting from the vent. This terminates the event and lava drains back into the conduit to start the cycle anew. In the case where there is no surface lava emission or drain back, the cap instead pushes into and spreads out within a subsurface cavity. Again, this unloads the conduit magma and terminates in explosive gas release. Once gas is expelled, lava in the cavity is free to drain back. We hypothesize that pistoning is a stable mode of degassing for low‐viscosity basaltic magmas with appropriate conduit geometries and volatile supply rates.

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Section: Thermal Observations Of Pistoningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thermal observations of gas pistoning at Kilauea Volcano

2005

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“…This renewal of activity at Kīlauea's summit is the first since 1982 and represents another example of the occasional occurrence of concurrent activity within the summit caldera as well as along a rift zone. To date, the current summit activity has not noticeably affected the Pu'ū O'ō-Kupaianaha eruption, which began in 1983 and continues unabated [Heliker et al, 2003]. Sustained degassing, gradual enlargement of the Overlook crater through episodic wall rock collapse, and the presence of a lava lake within the pit characterize the recent eruptive activity at the summit of Kīlauea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seismic source dynamics of gas‐piston activity at Kı̄lauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Chouet

Dawson

2015

JGR Solid Earth

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Since 2008, eruptive activity at the summit of Kı̄lauea Volcano, Hawai‘i has been confined to the new Overlook pit crater within the Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Among the broad range of magmatic processes observed in the new pit are recurring episodes of gas pistoning. The gas‐piston activity is accompanied by seismic signals that are recorded by a broadband network deployed in the summit caldera. We use raw data recorded with this network to model the source mechanism of representative gas‐piston events in a sequence that occurred on 20–25 August 2011 during a gentle inflation of the Kı̄lauea summit. To determine the source centroid location and source mechanism, we minimize the residual error between data and synthetics calculated by the finite difference method for a point source embedded in a homogeneous medium that takes topography into account. We apply a new waveform inversion method that accounts for the contributions from both translation and tilt in horizontal seismograms through the use of Green's functions representing the seismometer response to translation and tilt ground motions. This method enables a robust description of the source mechanism over the period range 1–10,000 s. Most of the seismic wavefield produced by gas‐pistoning originates in a source region ∼1 km below the eastern perimeter of the Halema‘uma‘u pit crater. The observed waveforms are well explained by a simple volumetric source with geometry composed of two intersecting cracks featuring an east striking crack (dike) dipping 80°to the north, intersecting a north striking crack (another dike) dipping 65° to the east. Each gas‐piston event is marked by a similar rapid inflation lasting a few minutes, trailed by a slower deflation ramp extending up to 15 min, attributed to the efficient coupling at the source centroid location of the pressure and momentum changes accompanying the growth and collapse of a layer of foam at the top of the lava column. Assuming a simple lumped parameter representation of the shallow magmatic system, the observed pressure and volume variations can be modeled with the following attributes : foam thickness (10–50 m), foam cell diameter (0.04–0.10 m), and gas‐injection velocity (0.01–0.06 m s−1). Gas‐piston activity occurs in a narrow pipe with diameter of 6 m connecting the Halema‘uma‘u pit crater to the subjacent dike system. The height of the magma column is estimated at ∼104 m at the start of the sequence based on the period of very long period (VLP) oscillations accompanying the onset of the gas‐piston signal. Based on the change in the period of VLP oscillations and tilt evidence, the height of the magma column is inferred to have risen by up to ∼23 m by the end of the 5 day long sequence. A penny‐shaped crack model of the dike geometry yields effective diameters of ∼1.2–2.9 km for the east dike and 0.7 km for the north dike. The shallower north dike segment is embedded in a relatively weak medium, compatible with expected mechanical properties in the hydrothermal environment of this dike.

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“…[2] The Pu'u Ō'ō-Kupaianaha eruption, emanating from a system of vents along the east rift of Kilauea Volcano, began in 1983 and continues through the present time [Heliker et al, 2003]. In late November, 2007 summit tremor levels and gas emissions began to elevate, heralding the beginning of a new phase of eruptive behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring very‐long‐period seismicity at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

Dawson

Benítez

Chouet

et al. 2010

Geophysical Research Letters

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On 19 March, 2008 eruptive activity returned to the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii with the formation of a new vent within the Halemaumau pit crater. The new vent has been gradually increasing in size, and exhibiting sustained degassing and the episodic bursting of gas slugs at the surface of a lava pond ∼200 m below the floor of Halemaumau. The spectral characteristics, source location obtained by radial semblance, and Hidden Markov Model pattern recognition of the degassing burst signals are consistent with an increase in gas content in the magma transport system beginning in October, 2007. This increase plateaus between March – September 2008, and exhibits a fluctuating pattern until 31 January, 2010, suggesting that the release of gas is slowly diminishing over time.

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The Pu'u 'O'o-Kupaianaha eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, 1983 to 2003

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Thermal observations of gas pistoning at Kilauea Volcano

Thermal observations of gas pistoning at Kilauea Volcano

Seismic source dynamics of gas‐piston activity at Kı̄lauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Monitoring very‐long‐period seismicity at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

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