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Kīlauea Volcano Ends Year With Impressive Lava Fountains
As the clock struck midnight to mark the start of a new year, Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii decided to bring some excitement to the occasion. The volcano has ended 2024 with an impressive display of lava fountains, leaving experts and spectators alike in awe.
According to reports from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, an eruption has commenced within Kaluapele, the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano. As a result, the organization has elevated the volcano’s alert level from Advisory to Warning and its aviation color code from Yellow to Red as they evaluate the associated hazards.
Imagery captured by webcam shows a line of fissures erupting lava fountains, which are feeding a flow within the summit caldera. This impressive display is not new for Kīlauea, which has been known to exhibit effusive activity characterized by lava pouring out from fissures.
However, what sets Kīlauea apart from other volcanoes is its unique ability to transition from effusive to explosive eruptions. According to recent research published just a few months ago, this mechanism can be compared to a stomp-rocket toy, where stepping on an air bag connected to a hose launches a projectile into the air.
It’s worth noting that Kīlauea has erupted in two places in the last 35 years – at the summit caldera and at the Pu‘u‘ō‘ō crater on the eastern rift zone. One notable instance was in May 2018, when a large lava flow destroyed more than 700 residences as it made its way to the sea.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is closely monitoring the situation, with experts tracking gas emissions and seismic activity to better understand the magnitude of this eruption. The organization has also urged residents and visitors to exercise extreme caution in the surrounding areas, citing concerns over high levels of volcanic gases such as water vapor, carbon-dioxide, and sulfur-dioxide.
Sulfur-dioxide is particularly concerning, as it can react with water vapor to create a type of volcanic haze known as vog. This can have severe negative impacts on health, agriculture, and the environment.
As 2024 draws to a close, Kīlauea’s impressive lava fountains serve as a reminder of the awe-inspiring power and unpredictability of our planet’s geological forces.
Source: www.forbes.com
