Tectonics Update – March 10

Kilauea Volcanic Activity

Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Previous Volcano Alert Level: WARNING
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Lava fountains from the northeastern vent of the Kamoamoa eruption. Pu`u `Ō `ō cone is seen in the background. Credit: HVO. Click image to enlarge.

Issued: March 9, 2011, 03:45UTC
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2011/H3

• Eruption on Kīlauea volcano: East rift zone [end of the 2.3 km Kamoamoa fissure located between Pu’u ‘Ō’ō and Nāpau Crater.”Lava erupted from the western end of the fissure, which is near the eastern rim of Nāpau Crater, has formed a channelized ‘a’ā flow that extends 2.9 km (1.8 mi) to the southwest. The lava flow ranges from 80 to 290 m (260 to 950 ft) wide, but the active channel within the flow is only about 20 m (65 ft) wide.”

• Lava spatter As high as 50 m
• SO2 emission rate down to 4,400 tpd
• Deflation slowing at both the summit and east rift zone.

A view of Halema`uma`u vent using thermal imaging. “The lava level dropped considerably over the past several days, retreating to a narrow opening deep within the vent cavity.” Source: HVO.  Click images to enlarge.

Extent of the Kamoamoa Fissure eruption, beginning March 5, 2011. The line of fissures extends 2.3 km, between Nāpau Crater and Pu`u `Ō `ō. The peach colored flow shown on the map is from the 1997 Nāpau Crater eruption. Source: HVO.

Related Links:

• Kilauea SO2 emissions tops 10,000 tpd
• https://feww.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/kilauea-so2-emissions-tops-10000-tpd/#comment-12536
• Heightened Activity at Kilauea Volcano

JAPAN’s Sendai Quake Aftershocks

At least 25 aftershocks have been reported by Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) since yesterday’s powerful 7.2Mw quake which struck off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, about 168km east of the city of Sendai.

Two of the largest shocks measured M6.1 and 6.8, striking Sanriku Oki region at 03:45 JST [03:51 JST 10 Mar 2011] and 06:24 JST  [06:29 JST 10 Mar 2011] respectively.

FIRE-EARTH forecasts intense seismic activity in Japan Region during the 2011 – 2015 period.

Further deatails would be released on the need-to-know basis, partly to prevent Internet prophets from cashing in on FIRE-EARTH forecasts.

Sendai 7.2 earthquake. List of aftershocks. Source: JMA. Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• Japan 7.2 Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Honshu

Recent Significant Earthquakes

PNG

• Magnitude 6.5 – NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA –
  • Wednesday, March 09, 2011 at 21:24:51 UTC
  • Depth: 29km
  • Location:  6.022°S, 149.659°E

CHINA

• Magnitude 5.4 – MYANMAR-CHINA BORDER REGION
  • The quake was a magnitude 5.8 shock striking Yingjiang County in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Xinhua said.
  • At  least 24 people were killed and more than 250 others injured as a result.
  • The shock also destroyed about 1,000 buildings.

New Zealand

• Magnitude 4.5 aftershock strikes 10 km east of Christchurch at a depth of 10km.
• Magnitude 4.0 aftershock strikes about 5km from Lyttelton at a depth of 10km.

Related Links:

• Earthquakes
• New Zealand Earthquake Warnings – 7 March 2011