Geologists say fresh magma has reached the eruption in lower Puna, potentially creating faster moving lava flows.
Geologists say fresh magma has reached the eruption in lower Puna, potentially creating faster moving lava flows.
“All signs are we are now seeing magma coming down from the summit entering into the system,” said Wendy Stovall, volcanologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
“We think this lava will continue to erupt at the surface probably in a more voluminous fashion,” she added.
By fresher magma, geologists mean molten rock that has moved down from the summit region or from Pu‘u ‘O‘o. Up until now, magma that has reached the surface from the eruption that started May 3 was thought to be older, possibly leftover from the 1955 eruption.
The newer magma is hotter and can move faster on the surface.
Stovall said the new magma was found in a sample taken from fissure 21 in Leilani Estates, though there were signs there was a change with fissure 16.
As of Friday morning, six fissures were erupting, with the strongest activity happening at fissures 17, 18 and 20, located northeast of the Lanipuna Gardens subdivision.
Geologists say they expect more eruptions of ash at Kilauea’s summit following several explosive events there this week.
The U.S. Post Office and schools in Pahoa are open today.
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