Volcano watch: How hot is the Kilauea Peak Lake?

The first anniversary of the appearance of water at Kilauea summit is a reminder of just how much has changed since the end of the eruption and the collapse of the summit in 2018.

Surface water at the summit highlighted the potential for future risks at the summit. Magma interacting with near-surface water can, under some conditions, lead to steam explosions.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor the summit area and carefully monitor the new lake itself, as it may provide another useful “window” to what is happening below the surface.

Lake level is regularly tracked with a laser rangefinder, and visual observations record changes in water color and circulation patterns. Water chemistry was analyzed in the samples collected by two Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) missions. A continuously operating thermal camera was installed late last year to monitor temperature changes in the lake around the clock. We also use a handheld thermal camera during field visits to make more detailed measurements of the lake’s temperature.

But what do those cameras tell us? Just how hot is the water?

It turns out that lake temperature can be a little difficult to measure. Immediately, it was clear that the steam rising from the surface of the water (and mixing with the air) was much colder than the water, and the layer of vapor was thick enough that it obscured much of the surface of the water beneath.

It is necessary to see these gaps in the vapor. Collecting and analyzing hundreds of images simultaneously provides the best opportunity to capture occasional views through the steam and get an estimate of the hot water surface below. Initial results in late 2019 showed extreme temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees Celsius (158-167 degrees Fahrenheit).

Later on, a high-resolution thermal camera was used and it showed higher values, with maximum temperatures around 80-85 ° C (176-185 ° F). Higher resolution appears to be better at seeing gaps in the vapor. On numerous occasions, we used both low and high resolution cameras at the same time to ensure that the higher resolution camera systematically showed higher temperatures – in other words, the comparison between the two cameras ruled out a true rise in the lake temperature.

These estimates were confirmed by a UAS flight in January. The UAS carried a small thermal camera, and it was only hovering yards above the surface, with steam being much less of a problem. The maximum temperature in the photos was around 85 ° C (185 ° F).

Thermal imagery over the past year shows that the temperature is not uniform across the surface. Hot spots are observed in several regions along the edge of the lake, and time-lapse images show that these areas appear to be areas where groundwater enters the lake. The lake center in general is the coolest.

However, these values ​​only represent the surface temperature, and it remains unknown how hot the lake is below the surface. Future drone flights may carry a temperature probe to gauge this.

How do these temperatures compare to those of other volcanic lakes around the world? Answer: Kilauea Peak Lake is definitely a hot lake.

Globally, only a few volcanic lakes have surface temperatures in excess of 80 ° C (176 ° F). So why is Kilauea water lake so hot? One possible factor is the residual heat in the collapse rubble at the base of Halema’uma’u, from the rocks that were heated by the lava column before the 2018 collapse. The nearby gas vents (at least 150 ° C – 302 ° F) (fumarole) are another possible explanation For high temperatures.

Why put so much effort into measuring the temperature of the lake? One of the main reasons why HVO is closely tracking lake temperature is to identify any changes that may be a precursor to the upcoming hazards. For example, in many other volcanic lakes around the world, changes in lake temperature preceded eruptions. Over the past year, Lake Kilauea’s temperatures have remained in the same range, and so far we have not seen any significant or systemic change.

HVO will continue to track lake temperature, as one of many tools that include earthquake, gas and ground deformation monitoring. This thermal monitoring will help us discover if and when Kilauea decides to raise the temperature.

Volcano activity updates

Kilauea volcano does not erupt. The USGS Volcano alert level remains in NORMAL (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html). Kilauea updates are released monthly.

Kilauea monitoring data for July shows variable but typical rates of earthquakes and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geological changes since the end of volcanic activity in September 2018. The water lake at the bottom of Halima ‘uma’u continues to expand and deepen slowly. For the most recent information on the lake, see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/Kilauea/summit_water_resources.html.

Mauna Loa does not erupt and remains at Volcano Alert Level. This alert level does not imply that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an outbreak from the current level of disturbance is certain. Mauna Loa updates are released weekly.

Last week, about 141 small-scale earthquakes were recorded under the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; Most of these occurred at shallow depths of less than 8 km (about 5 miles). GPS measurements show a slow rise in long-term summit magnification, consistent with the supply of magma to the volcano’s shallow storage system. The gas concentrations and fumarole temperatures as measured at both the sulfur cone and the summit remain stable. Web cameras do not show any changes to the landscape. For more information on the current monitoring of Mauna Loa volcano, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/monitoring_summary.html.

There were 4 events with 3 or more hairy reports in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: An M1.8 earthquake 6 km (3 mi) southwest of Honuka at a depth of 0 km (0 mi) on Aug 2 at 9:48 pm HST, M1.7 earthquake 8 km (4 mi) ENE from Pahala at a depth of 30 km (19 mi) August 1 at 10:28 AM HST, M4.2 earthquake 8 km (4 mi) ENE from Pahala at 31 Km (19 mi) depth on August 1 at 10:03 a.m. HST, M1.7 earthquake 2 km (1 mi) WSW from Honaunau-Napo’opo’o at depth of 6 km (3 mi) on July 31 at 1 : 38 pm GMT.

HVO continues to monitor Kilauea and Mauna Loa closely for any signs of increased activity.

Please visit the HVO website to see past Volcano Watch articles, previous Volcano Watch articles, Kilauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Questions emailed to [email protected].

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by the scientists and affiliates of the US Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

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