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Low level fountains active, full fountains should build shortly from here.
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Kilauea Volcano is spectacular today.
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Hans Blaster
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Episode 28 started in the pre-dawn hours of (Wed) July 9 and ended in the early afternoon of the same day.
This last episode was much like the last few. Most outflow came in a period of fountains reaching up to 365 m. (From the opening of the vent, I assume, but they haven't said so explicitly.) There seems to be less flow away from the vents and more accumulation near the vents. Speaking of vents, after only weak eruption from the south vent in the last episode, there was none here this time and the lava seems to have buried the south vent. We may not see activity from the second vent again unless something else changes (like both vents becoming covered).
Some photos of the eruption and the geologists exploring it, including a visit during the eruption inside the 2018 caldera to obtain samples.
Photo & Video Chronology — July 9, 2025 — Kīlauea Episode 28
Now for a touch of speculation...
The vent is building a wide cone structure, a small shield perhaps. Some of the lava is ending small and cooled enough to land as loose, light, small rocks (tephra). Some of this falls above the rim and is making a large, thick field of crunchy rocks. (Lots of good shots in the above link and others like it.) When the same comes down with some hotter blobs it forms a thicker, cooler flow that doesn't spread as easily and becomes thicker. This structure that is building is not in a flat place, but starts right from the edge of the crater with the steep wall adjacent to it.
In the photo below, the vent is "smoking" in the lower left with the lava accumulated from the recent episodes perched above it. It has been slumping down slope, but it has largely flown around the sides (it was all smooth when the episode ended). Some stuff has certainly fallen down the vent, but if in aftermath of an upcoming episode a large amount collapsed on to the vent, it could have a major impact on this eruption. Stay tuned.
This last episode was much like the last few. Most outflow came in a period of fountains reaching up to 365 m. (From the opening of the vent, I assume, but they haven't said so explicitly.) There seems to be less flow away from the vents and more accumulation near the vents. Speaking of vents, after only weak eruption from the south vent in the last episode, there was none here this time and the lava seems to have buried the south vent. We may not see activity from the second vent again unless something else changes (like both vents becoming covered).
Some photos of the eruption and the geologists exploring it, including a visit during the eruption inside the 2018 caldera to obtain samples.
Photo & Video Chronology — July 9, 2025 — Kīlauea Episode 28
Now for a touch of speculation...
The vent is building a wide cone structure, a small shield perhaps. Some of the lava is ending small and cooled enough to land as loose, light, small rocks (tephra). Some of this falls above the rim and is making a large, thick field of crunchy rocks. (Lots of good shots in the above link and others like it.) When the same comes down with some hotter blobs it forms a thicker, cooler flow that doesn't spread as easily and becomes thicker. This structure that is building is not in a flat place, but starts right from the edge of the crater with the steep wall adjacent to it.
In the photo below, the vent is "smoking" in the lower left with the lava accumulated from the recent episodes perched above it. It has been slumping down slope, but it has largely flown around the sides (it was all smooth when the episode ended). Some stuff has certainly fallen down the vent, but if in aftermath of an upcoming episode a large amount collapsed on to the vent, it could have a major impact on this eruption. Stay tuned.
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MyOwnSockPuppet
Regeneration of myself after computer failure
If it's chucking relatively heavy lava a thousand feet up then presumably the ash is going a lot higher. I'm surprised I can't find any flight restrictions online?
Sounds like it's almost inviting another Speedbird 9 incident.
Sounds like it's almost inviting another Speedbird 9 incident.
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Hans Blaster
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There is very little ash in these eruptions. The erupted material is molten.
From the last episode:
| (11) Volcanic Activity Summary: | Episode 28 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 4:10 a.m. HST on July 9 and is currently exhibiting a vent overflow and fountains reaching roughly 150 feet (45 meters). Past episodes have produced incandescent lava fountains over 1000 feet (300 meters) high that result in eruptive plumes up to 20,000 feet (6000 meters) above ground level. High fountaining associated with this episode has not yet begun but is expected to start soon, as tremor, deflation, and fountain height are all increasing. According to USGS weather stations just southwest of the summit, winds are blowing from the north-northeast direction at approximately 15 miles per hour, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material will be distributed south-southwest. Such trade winds typically turn more to the northeast during daylight hours. |
And later on in the report:
No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. A VAN/VONA will be issued when sustained lava fountaining ceases and the eruption is paused, or earlier if the situation warrants a further update.
Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
| (12) Volcanic cloud height: | Plume in past episodes has reached up to 20,000 feet (6000 meters) above ground level driven by incandescent lava fountains over 1000 feet (300 meters) high |
| (13) Other volcanic cloud information: | Most volcanic ash and pumice (tephra) will fall within about 1 mile (1-2 km) of the eruptive vents. Lower concentrations of finer volcanic particles, such as ash and Pele's Hair, can be transported greater distances downwind of the vent (20 miles or 30 km). Sulfur dioxide emission rate is typically over 50,000 tonnes/day during eruptive episode. |
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcano-updates#vonas
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The amount of ash released in an eruption depends on the silicate content of the magma and on the concentration of H₂O, CO₂ and SO₂.
The viscosity of the magma increases with increasing silicate content allowing the entrapment of more gas which is released explosively by coming out of solution as the magma rises releasing the pressure much like opening a soda bottle.
This explosive release tends to fragment the magma releasing large amounts of ash into the atmosphere.
| Volcano & Year | Silicate (SiO₂) | Dissolved Gases | Ash/Tephra Output | Eruption Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Galunggung (1982) | Moderate (~55–60%) | High (SO₂-rich plumes detected) | High (ash cloud rose to ~12 km; caused aircraft engine failures) | Explosive (sub-Plinian) |
| Kīlauea (2025) | Low (~48–50%) | High SO₂ (50,000–75,000 t/day); H₂O, CO₂ | Moderate (local tephra up to 60 cm, Pele’s hair near summit) | Lava fountains, effusive |
| Kīlauea (2018) | Low (~48–50%) | Low to moderate | Very low (mainly lava flows, minor ash) | Effusive |
| Mount St. Helens (1980) | High (~63–67%) | High | Very high (~1 km³ tephra; widespread ashfall) | Plinian |
| Pinatubo (1991) | High (~58–63%) | Very high | Very high (~10 km³ tephra; global impact) | Ultra-Plinian |
| Eyjafjallajökull (2010) | Moderate (~57%) | High | Moderate to high (ash disrupted European airspace) | Explosive (subglacial) |
| Krakatoa (1883) | High (~65–70%) | Very high | Massive (~18–21 km³ tephra; global effects) | Ultra-Plinian |
| Tambora (1815) | High (~57–60%) | Very high | Extreme (~100–150 km³; triggered "Year Without a Summer") | Ultra-Plinian |
| Vesuvius (79 AD) | High (~60–63%) | High | High (ash buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum) | Plinian |
| Mount Etna (ongoing) | Moderate (~48–52%) | Moderate | Low to moderate (frequent, variable ash output) | Strombolian to Vulcanian |
| Mauna Loa (2022) | Low (~47–49%) | Low | Very low (mostly lava flows, minor tephra) | Effusive |
| Hunga Tonga (2022) | Moderate (~55–58%) | Very high | Moderate to high (plume reached mesosphere; global ash fallout) | Submarine/Explosive |
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Here is the eruption type from my previous post in more detail.
The VEI (Volcanic Explosive Index) scale.
The mega-colossal eruption leading to the New England caldera in Australia wiped most flora and fauna over a vast area and was a precursor to the "Great Dying" extinction event.
| Type | Mechanism | Characteristics | Typical VEI | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian | Effusive (magmatic) | Fluid basaltic lava, fire fountains, gentle, low ash; flows build shield volcanoes (Geology.com) | 0–1 | Kīlauea (Hawaiʻi) |
| Strombolian | Magmatic explosive | Intermittent bursts of incandescent cinders/bombs from gas bursts; builds scoria cones | 1–2 | Stromboli (Italy) |
| Vulcanian | Magmatic explosive | Short, powerful blasts ejecting dense ash clouds and bombs; clearing the vent; frequent pyroclastic flows | 2–4 | Vulcano (Italy); Mount Pelée (1902) |
| Pelean | Magmatic explosive | Dome growth and collapse producing glowing avalanches (nuées ardentes) | 3–5 | Mount Pelée (1902); Mayon (1968) |
| Sub‑Plinian | Magmatic explosive | Sustained eruption columns (~20–30 km), continuous tephra ejection; between Vulcanian and Plinian | 3–4 | Calbuco (2015) |
| Plinian | Magmatic explosive | Sustained, high columns (up to ~50 km), massive ash and pumice, climate impact | 5–6 | Vesuvius AD 79; Mount St. Helens (1980) |
| Ultra‑Plinian | Magmatic explosive | Ultra-high columns (>45 km), immense volume and mass flux | ≥ 5 | Samalas (1257); Pinatubo (1991) |
| Surtseyan | Hydromagmatic | Interaction with water → violent steam-driven blasts in shallow marine or wet environments | 2–4 | Surtsey (Iceland, 1963–65) |
| Phreatic | Steam-driven explosive | Steam explosions without new magma ejection; blasts rock/ash, forms maars | 0–3 | Mount St. Helens pre‑1980 |
| Phreatomagmatic | Mixed magmatic + water | Magma contacts water → steam explosions with ash and magma fragments | Variable | Submarine/surtseyan variants |
| Submarine / Subglacial | Water interaction | Underwater or under ice; can vary greatly in explosivity | Variable | Undersea vents, Icelandic glacial eruptions |
The VEI (Volcanic Explosive Index) scale.
VEI | Ejecta Volume | Column Height | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | < 10⁴ m³ | < 100 m | Non‑explosive, effusive | Hawaiian lava flows |
1 | 10⁴–10⁶ m³ | 0.1–1 km | Gentle, small explosive bursts | Small Strombolian eruptions |
2 | 10⁶–10⁷ m³ | 1–5 km | Explosive | Mt Etna’s moderate blasts |
3 | 10⁷–10⁸ m³ | 3–15 km | Severe | Nevado del Ruiz (1985) |
4 | 10⁸–10⁹ m³ | 10–25 km | Cataclysmic | Eyjafjallajökull (2010) |
5 | 10⁹–10¹⁰ m³ | > 25 km | Paroxysmal | Mt St Helens (1980) |
6 | 10¹⁰–10¹¹ m³ | > 25 km | Colossal | Mt Pinatubo (1991) |
7 | 10¹¹–10¹² m³ | > 25 km | Super‑colossal | Tambora (1815) |
8 | ≥ 10¹² m³ | > 25 km | Mega‑colossal (supervolcano) | Early Permian New England Caldera, Australia (~252–257 Ma)—~10¹⁴m³ ejected, true VEI 8 |
The mega-colossal eruption leading to the New England caldera in Australia wiped most flora and fauna over a vast area and was a precursor to the "Great Dying" extinction event.
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Sorry for taking this thread off topic but here is another one of my AI challenges.
AI is now superior to humans in terms of accuracy of identifying rocks from thin section imagery.
I live near Mt Anakie a volcano in Australia that last erupted 1.5 million years ago and has left a lava plain, rocks and fertile soil.
The last eruption was a Strombolian type and my challenge to ChatGPT was to identify the type of eruption from two sample rock images taken from my property.
The second image is a microscopic image of the crystal structure that was deliberately left blurry in some regions as an extra challenge since microscopic images have a limited depth of focus.
I allowed ChatGPT to also analyse the raw images which contained camera and lens information so it could determine the image scales and therefore the dimensions of the porous and crystal structure in the images.
Here is ChatGPT's analysis.
It correctly assessed the eruption type as Strombolian.
AI is now superior to humans in terms of accuracy of identifying rocks from thin section imagery.
I live near Mt Anakie a volcano in Australia that last erupted 1.5 million years ago and has left a lava plain, rocks and fertile soil.
The last eruption was a Strombolian type and my challenge to ChatGPT was to identify the type of eruption from two sample rock images taken from my property.
The second image is a microscopic image of the crystal structure that was deliberately left blurry in some regions as an extra challenge since microscopic images have a limited depth of focus.
I allowed ChatGPT to also analyse the raw images which contained camera and lens information so it could determine the image scales and therefore the dimensions of the porous and crystal structure in the images.
Here is ChatGPT's analysis.
It correctly assessed the eruption type as Strombolian.
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