Volcano Watch: A Journey Through the Crater Chain: Recent Earthquakes and Past Volcanic Activity

Kilauea's upper East Rift Zone was a tremor-prone place last weekend. This zone extends southeast of Kalauapili (Kilauea's summit caldera) to Mauna'olo, and earthquakes here could reflect stress on the magma storage system at Kilauea's summit.

Between June 27 and July 1, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recorded nearly 1,500 earthquakes below the small earthquake zone. Activity peaked late Saturday evening, June 29, when more than 30 earthquakes occurred per hour. Activity slowly declined on Sunday and returned to pre-attack levels on Monday, July 1.

Most of the earthquakes in this area were less than 2 on the Richter scale, but there were several that were large enough to be felt in nearby communities, including five that measured 3 or greater. The earthquakes occurred at depths of 1 to 4 kilometres (0.6 to 2.5 mi) below the Earth's surface and were not accompanied by any significant changes in ground deformation.

Although the earthquakes occurred beneath the unstable rift zone, there was no indication that magma was moving toward the surface to erupt in this area. The swarm is likely related to pressure building beneath the summit of Kilauea, where magma is accumulating in an underground storage system. Similar seismic swarms beneath the unstable rift zone were observed earlier this year, in April and May, when magma was accumulating and compressing the summit before the latest eruption on June 3. In those cases, the seismic disturbances moved away from the unstable rift zone and became concentrated in other locations south of Kalauapile and toward the southwest rift zone before that eruption.

However, volcanic eruptions have occurred along the EEZ in the past. There have been approximately 50 incursions and five volcanic eruptions in the EEZ over the past 60 years; the most recent eruption was 45 years ago.

Chain of Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park follows the UERZ. As you turn left from Crater Rim Drive onto Chain of Craters Road, you pass craters, thermal areas, and lava flows that showcase past volcanic activity in this area.

The Loamanu crater is the first, and here still technically in the Kilauea caldera, which features external faults that parallel the modern topographic extension of Kalauapele. At this location, you also pass lava flows that erupted over three days in July 1974. This eruption began in the Kianakakaui crater, and the vents extended northwest into the modern caldera and southeast into the Loamanu crater; the lava flows covered the eastern part of the modern caldera floor and moved southeast, covering part of the crater chain's path.

As you continue driving, you pass the craters of Pūhimāu, Ku Uku Ulu, Devil's Throat, Hi'aka and Pauahi. Based on the age of the surrounding lava flows, we know that these craters formed within the last 750 years. In each case, empty space beneath the ground created a crater as a result of collapse.

Between the craters of Pūhimāw and Kū‘ū‘ū‘ū‘ū, you’ll drive through a large area where rising steam and broom grass contrast with the surrounding ‘ūhi‘ā forest. This is the Pūhimāw Thermal Zone. In the 1930s, swarms of earthquakes occurred, the ground cracked, and plants began to die. Since then, the soil has remained hot and the area has grown to about 50 acres (0.2 km2). Geophysical studies show that the magma is located a few hundred metres (about 1,000 feet) below the surface.

Near Hiaka Crater, you will drive through lava flows from a 7-hour eruption in May 1973. Shortly after, you will drive through the most recent lava flows in the UERZ, which erupted over the course of a single day in November 1979 in and near the Pauahi Crater. Other eruptions in this area occurred in November 1973 (lasted 29 days) and August 1968 (lasted 5 days).

From there, the rift zone heads east toward Cape Kumukahe (the easternmost point on the island of Hawaii). Now, the prominent lava shield of Maunalu will be visible as the drilling rig passes through the lava flows of Maunalu. Maunalu was active from 1969 to 1971, and after a three-and-a-half-month hiatus, from 1972 to 1974.

The recent swarm of earthquakes in the UERZ is likely related to increased pressure on the volcanic system below Kilauea’s summit, but we know from our drives along the Chain of Craters that magma occasionally erupts in this area. Kilauea’s summit continues to swell after the brief June 3 eruption, and HVO will continue to monitor it closely for signs of change.

Volcano activity updates

Kilauea has not yet erupted. Its USGS alert level is “advisory.”

Over the past week, more than 1,600 events have occurred below the Kilauea summit area and extending southeastward into the Upper East Rift Zone. Most events were smaller than M2 and occurred during the June 27-July 1 swarm below the Upper East Rift Zone. Inflationary ground deformation has continued in the summit area since the June 3 eruption, suggesting that magma is re-pressuring the storage system. The disturbance may continue to rise and fall with changes in magma input. There are currently no signs of an imminent eruption, but changes can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption. The most recent measured peak sulfur dioxide emission rate was approximately 75 tons per day on June 28, 2024.

Mauna Loa has not erupted yet, and the USGS volcanic alert level is at normal.

Six earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a magnitude 2.9 earthquake 6 km (3.7 mi) south-southeast of the volcano at a depth of 1.5 km (1 mi) on July 1 at 5:39 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake 6 km (3 mi) south of the volcano at a depth of 0 km (0 mi) on June 30 at 3:31 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time, a magnitude 3.0 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) south of the volcano at a depth of 1 km (0.5 mi) on June 29 at 11:27 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time, a magnitude 2.7 earthquake 7 km (7 mi) south of the volcano at a depth of 2 km (1 mi) on June 29 at 8:55 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time, and a magnitude 3.4 earthquake 6 km (4 mi) south of the volcano at a depth of 2 km (1 mi) in June 27 at 3:35 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, and a 2.9 magnitude earthquake 6 km (4 mi) southwest of the volcano at a depth of 2 km (1 mi) on June 27 at 3:32 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.

The Croatian Military Council continues to closely monitor Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

Please visit the HVO website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kilauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano images, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. You can email questions to [email protected].

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by scientists and representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

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