HVO confirms water in Halema'uma'u

[Pilgrim]

Today HVO confirmed the existence of a new pond of water in the bottom of Halema'uma'u Crater. The link is a post from HVO's Facebook page in which Don Swanson describes today's overflight confirming that the small pond is indeed water. It was originally described as "about the size of a pickup truck" and it appears to be slowly growing.

Swanson added

quote:

---

Until we better understand where the water is coming from, it's impossible to understand its significance.

However, at this time, there is no reason to think hazards at the summit have increased or decreased because of the presence of water.

---

https://www.facebook.com/hawaiivolcanoes...cation=ufi

[Pilgrim]

Here's an interesting read with more details from Don Swanson. I think it's intriguing that although water has never been recorded in the bottom of the summit caldera there are references to ponds of water appearing before explosive eruptions in Hawaiian chants.

Water in Hawaii volcano could trigger explosive eruptions:

https://www.apnews.com/403f1d69f8f041b492ed687e7644075f

[Seeb]

Is there and mapping for pyroclastic flows

[terracore]

"Swanson said that while researchers have never observed water on the caldera floor before, there are Native Hawaiian chants that describe the presence of ponds appearing just before explosive events...Swanson said big explosive eruptions commonly produce pyroclastic surges — walls of hot air, ash and rock. In 1790 one such eruption killed a large number of people at Kilauea’s caldera, Swanson said...Swanson said none of this will happen overnight, and he hopes that modern monitoring techniques will give the public plenty of warning.

“I’ve been stressing that the current activity at Kilauea, or lack thereof, can go either way,” Swanson said. “We can either return to what was going on before, or this could be the preamble to some more significant change in the volcano that leads to explosive activity."

ETA: Or a third way (nothing happens).

[Pilgrim]

Now that's a third way I can really get behind.

[kalakoa]

Missing the important parts: is it sacred, and who does it belong to?

[Pilgrim]

And now there are two ponds. One about 36' in diameter and another about 20-23' diameter.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kil...ology.html

[Punatic007]

I don't get it, Kilauea is considered at low risk now correct? Then why does a water lake possibly precede an explosive eruption?

https://www.apnews.com/403f1d69f8f041b492ed687e7644075f

[TomK]

A water lake might indicate the level of groundwater underneath Kilauea, or it may not.
Worst case is that hot magma is now heating water and there will be an explosion, the best case is that these are just large puddles that can't drain due to impervious rock. Given there are no indications right now that magma is heating water underground then HVO is saying a Kilauea eruption is a low risk. That might change if they see signs of things changing.

[kalakoa]

That might change if they see signs of things changing.

So it's just like getting permits.