Recent flow activity

[SBH]

The web cam view looking north looks pretty active tonight:

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cams/panorama.php?cam=PNcam

[SBH]

"Recent Observations of the Kahaualea 2 flow: It is becoming more likely that Friday's activity cut off the lava supply to the Kahaualea 2 lava tube."

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php

This looks like very good news for us, hopefully the K2 lava tube is cut off and the new breakout will head south back to the sea.

"PNcam views yesterday and overnight showed only a few stationary glowing spots on breakouts at the north base of Puuoo cone (fewer than were visible the previous night) but there were still wispy smoke plumes in the distance which may be due to residual burning; if there were any distant glowing spots, webcam views of them were blocked by the diffuse glow from the newer flows in the camera foreground. On June 27, HVO geologists found the most distant Kahaualea 2 breakouts still active extending extending 7.1 km (4.4 mi) northeast from the Puuoo vent (see map). From this morning's webcam views, it's clear that the flow is still hot but is far less active than prior to the June 27 collapse. We should know with more certainty over the next few days whether the Kahaualea 2 lava flow has stalled."

[dakine]

quote:

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Originally posted by SBH

This looks like very good news for us, hopefully the K2 lava tube is cut off and the new breakout will head south back to the sea.

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A flow to the south, that would be great! I looked at all the information HVO has posted.. maps, pics, words, videos, and didn't see anything that suggested (to me) that this new flow could do that. Maybe I was missing something?

[csgray]

It would take a breakout on the south side for the lava to flow south, the topography will not allow it to flow from a north side breakout towards the south.

Carol

[BI-Curious]

Tink said: "I wonder if those k-rails (the concrete walls you see when they do road work) will divert if anchored properly."

i wonder the same thing. Maybe the lava would melt the concrete? It seems like if that were an option, they would have tried it before.
Anyone?

[SBH]

Simply wishful thinking, figure the odds of that happening are better today than they were a few days ago.

[Tink]

BI-Curious-- I don't think they were in use on the last flow excepting the Peace Day flow( what an ironic name to give it), which came down so fast nobody could really prepare for it, just run from it. I know concrete has limitations on heat before it breaks down, but thought on a slow flow a combination of K-rail, and water to cool the concrete might work. Earthen or rock berms are too labor intensive unless installed as a safety barrier to populated areas well before a flow, kind of like a highway project, and we all know how that pans out.

Are you a human being, or a human doing?

[dakine]

If their behavior in the past means anything, our local gov will not touch the lava. Even after they were shown exactly how, with a few days bulldozing.. even just a day.. they could have prevented the entire Kalapana event, they flatly refused to listen to or do anything. In other words.. hanging behind the 'it's an act of God' line and let the chips fall where they may is better than all the potential liability issues.. not to mention cultural ones... that would fall in their lap if they touched the stuff... even just a little bit

[kalakoa]

hanging behind the 'it's an act of God' line and let the chips fall where they may

Also solves the "unpermitted shacks" problem. Meanwhile, "the volcano will eat it" is a great excuse for stalling development.

PCDP: Pele Can Destroy Puna.

[missydog1]

Bombing was tried at so least once, although it didn't work at the time, so at some point they were willing to intervene. (I was reading something last week that talked about the bombing.) Perhaps the thinking on intervention has changed since then.

I seem to recall they made efforts to save Kapoho village and the warm pond with earth moving as well.