Mauna Loa is erupting

[basilosaurus]

www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/volcano-updates

Last 2 eruptions were in 1984 and 1974

The eruption of Mauna Loa continues on the Northeast Rift Zone. Three fissures erupted and as of 1:30 PM, only the lowest of the three fissures was active. Estimates of the tallest fountain heights are between 100–200 ft (30 – 60 m), but most are a few yards (meters) tall. The fissures sent lava flows to the northeast and parallel to the rift zone. Lava flows from the two higher fissures moved downslope but stalled about 11 miles (18 km) from Saddle Road. Fissure 3 is currently feeding lava flows moving east parallel to the Northeast Rift Zone. These remain at above 10,000 feet elevation and over 10 miles (16 km) away from Saddle Road. We do not expect upper fissures to reactivate. However, additional fissures could open along the Northeast Rift Zone below the current location, and lava flows can continue to travel downslope.



There is no active lava within Moku'āweoweo caldera, and there is no lava erupting from the Southwest Rift Zone. We do not expect any eruptive activity outside the Northeast Rift Zone. No property is at risk currently. There is a visible gas plume from the erupting fissure fountains and lava flows, with the plume primarily being blown to the Northwest.

[chchchia]

I've been watching that and it's crazy. I hope it does not spread to residential or business areas.

[basilosaurus]

Nov 29, 2022 5:43:20 GMT -5 chchchia said:

I've been watching that and it's crazy. I hope it does not spread to residential or business areas.

It's really far quite far away from residential and commercial areas. It's right in the middle of the island, nearly everything in the interior is some sort of protected park, with almost all things people related on the coasts.

I'm sure, though they're on Mauna Loa, the observatory and related facilities were thoroughly planned to not be at risk.

[chchchia]

Nov 29, 2022 6:15:33 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Nov 29, 2022 5:43:20 GMT -5 chchchia said:

I've been watching that and it's crazy. I hope it does not spread to residential or business areas.

It's really far quite far away from residential and commercial areas. It's right in the middle of the island, nearly everything in the interior is some sort of protected park, with almost all things people related on the coasts.

I'm sure, though they're on Mauna Loa, the observatory and related facilities were thoroughly planned to not be at risk.

That's good to know, I have been there but it's been years and I don't remember the layout of where it is on the island.  I mean it would be beautiful and terrifying to watch.  I do remember how gorgeous it is though. 

[AJL]

Sounds all very normal for an active volcano. Why is this crazy?

[noodleoo]

Nov 29, 2022 16:02:55 GMT -5 AJL said:

Sounds all very normal for an active volcano. Why is this crazy?

We went to Volcanoes National Park when we went to Hawaii for our honeymoon. It was amazing and we also went to the Mauna Loa observatory. So cool! I remember when Kileaua erupted a few years ago recognizing areas we drove through being overflowed by lava. It is crazy to those of us not living in an active volcano, I guess! I can’t imagine living there, it seems really scary to me.

I remember talking to the owners of the bed and breakfast we stayed in about it and they were very used to it. But they thought the blizzards we get in Boston are crazy! It is all relative!

[pixy0stix]

We were *just* there last week. I wish it had been erupting then. A certain member of my party would have been over the moon excited. Actually, 2 members of my party. LOL! Maybe they caused this with their wishful thinking.

[spindle92]

I'm not sure of the wind in Hawaii but the ash can spread far.

[aurora]

My friends just flew in to Kona yesterday. They said they couldn't see much from the air

I was reading about the danger of potentially blowing "Pele's Hair," which is essentially long strands of glass that can blow in the wind and are sharp enough to cut skin and eyes.

www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/peles-hair.htm

Hopefully everyone stays safe! I've seen Kiluea erupting and it's fascinating.

[sequins]

Nov 29, 2022 17:15:08 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

We were *just* there last week. I wish it had been erupting then. A certain member of my party would have been over the moon excited. Actually, 2 members of my party. LOL! Maybe they caused this with their wishful thinking.

Ah man. We just got back a few days ago too. I wish we could have been there for it!!!

[reginaphalange72]

Nov 29, 2022 18:37:56 GMT -5 aurora said:

My friends just flew in to Kona yesterday. They said they couldn't see much from the air

I was reading about the danger of potentially blowing "Pele's Hair," which is essentially long strands of glass that can blow in the wind and are sharp enough to cut skin and eyes.

www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/peles-hair.htm

Hopefully everyone stays safe! I've seen Kiluea erupting and it's fascinating.

AJL - totally normal. Just exciting since this volcano hasn't erupted in decades. But anything on the big island of Hawaii is still near the mantle plume that feeds into it, so it's unsurprising. Anything that's erupted in the last 10,000 years is considered still possibly active in volcanology.

Pele's hair is super cool. (I have a sample from many years ago - I'm a volcanologist and it was collected for work, so Pele is cool with it. 😀) But it's not something that travels far. That really goes for most things having to do with this type of eruption. There could be some ash, but effusive eruptions (like those at Hawaii) don't typically produce a large amount of the kind of ash that travels hundreds/thousands of miles - that's produced by explosive eruptions when the magma is blown apart into teeny pieces by all the gas trapped in it - that's what drives the eruption.

Effusive eruptions can still be really powerful and energetic - but they tend to create lava fountains and cinders (small pieces of cooled basalt that fall near the vent). There's also the issue of vog (volcanic fog), which isn't great to breathe in since it's acidic (it's not like "kill you immediately" acidic, but it's unpleasant and makes your lungs burn), but that's also quite localized.

/Nerd spiel

I love nerding out on volcanoes. 😀

[nothingcontroversial]

Now I have an urge to watch "Joe Verses the Volcano." Wow, Tom Hanks looks young in it. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmQDIne3CLo

[TR]

Nov 29, 2022 20:19:38 GMT -5 nothingcontroversial said:

Now I have an urge to watch "Joe Verses the Volcano." Wow, Tom Hanks looks young in it. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmQDIne3CLo

This is such a great movie. “I’m a flibberdigibit!”

[basilosaurus]

Nov 29, 2022 16:02:55 GMT -5 AJL said:

Sounds all very normal for an active volcano. Why is this crazy?

It's not crazy, but it is news worthy. Most of us probably don't remember the last time. Plus volcanoes are just really cool to see. I didn't get to see Kilauea erupt but I did get to see open lava flow. Even from a distance is just wow. Being the first to step on newly created land, still warm, and looking at the beautiful rocks with all their colors and striations is quite an experience

Pp, i don't think the ash spreads all that far but the vog certainly does.

[minzy]

reginaphalange72 I haven’t looked at it myself yet but curious the difference in emissions from this kind of active volcano versus the more eruptive ones?

[rachers]

@@@@@@@


My 5 year old will be so excited. She loves asking about eruptions.

[basilosaurus]

[sonrisa]

Nov 29, 2022 16:02:55 GMT -5 AJL said:

Sounds all very normal for an active volcano. Why is this crazy?

At the end of the day, all geological activity is a little wild (to me). Earthquakes, geysers, volcanoes. Feeling the seemingly staid planet come "alive" and dynamic is captivating. 

[spindle92]

Sorry about incorrectly mentioning ash.
I live in the midwest and had no idea there were different kinds of volcanic eruptions.
My aunt lived in Washington state near Mount Saint Helen when it erupted in 1980 and their entire house was covered in ash.
She actually gave my mom a coffee can of ash, that she still has somewhere.

I remember bringing the ashes to show and tell at school.

[basilosaurus]

20 second video of erupting lava. Sorry I can't embed. In case you can't tell, I'm captivated as sonrisa said. Perfect word.

www.facebook.com/USGSVolcanoes/videos/673436241163729