Kilauea Volcano: Sporadic Explosions in Halema‘uma‘u Crater

Rockfalls into the deepening vent causing explosions –HVO

TOP: At 9:06 a.m. HST (May 11, 2018), an ash plume rose from the Overlook crater at Kīlauea’s summit. Similar to recent plumes, this event was likely caused by a rockfall from the crater’s steep walls. The plume’s reddish color is most likely from altered rock and ash fragments that fell into the deepening conduit. [USGS/HVO]

TOP: At 9:17 a.m. HST, another weak ash plume rose from the Overlook Vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, producing a slightly more energetic and darker plume. This second plume lacked the pink altered ash that was in the earlier plume, apparently consisting of more unaltered (therefore darker) rock fragments. This plume also was probably caused by rockfall into the deepening vent, not related to groundwater and steam-driven explosions. [USGS/HVO]