The Birth of a Water Pond at Kilauea Volcano: What It Means for Future Eruptions
Summary
In this article, we explore the recent activity at Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, which erupted in 2018, destroying homes and forcing evacuations. Since then, the lava lake at the summit has been replaced with a rare water pond, which is slowly infilling from below. While there is no danger of a catastrophic explosion, scientists are closely monitoring the activity and considering options to sample the water in the pond. This activity can help scientists learn more about Kilauea and potentially apply their findings to other volcanoes around the world.
Table of Contents
- The 2018 Eruption and the Birth of a Water Pond
- The Potential for Future Explosions
- Monitoring and Sampling the Water Pond
- Learning from Kilauea for Other Volcanoes
- Conclusion
The 2018 Eruption and the Birth of a Water Pond
The eruption of Kilauea in 2018 was one of the largest lava flows during recorded history, destroying homes and forcing thousands to evacuate. The lava lake at the summit began to drop down very rapidly, and the crater collapsed. Since then, the appearance of a green water pond in the bottom of the crater has caught the attention of scientists.
Geologist Don Swanson explains that the volcano erupted when a barrier that had been keeping magma from getting beyond that point failed. The water forming in the volcano is due to the level that the water table is at Kilauea. The water is rising back up into the crater after having been displaced during the collapse last summer. While there is still a possibility that rainfall is directly feeding the pond, the rate of rise of the pond has been pretty steady, slow, and consistent with a slowly rising water.
The Potential for Future Explosions
Despite the current lack of activity, there is still a potential for future explosions at Kilauea. However, the potential explosion is not likely to be as large as other explosive volcanoes that can affect people in distant areas. The scientists are able to remotely watch what’s happening from webcams that have been installed on the rim of the caldera and make visual observations on a daily basis.
Monitoring and Sampling the Water Pond
Scientists are considering two different options to get a sample of the water in the pond. This will help them to tell a lot about the chemistry of the gases coming up through the water and date the water. While there is no danger of a catastrophic explosion for the people of Hawaii, Kilauea has been in an explosive mode for more than half a century.
Learning from Kilauea for Other Volcanoes
Kilauea is a frequent erupting volcano, but its explosions are not as large and impactful as other volcanoes like Mount St. Helens. However, the current activity at Kilauea can help scientists learn more about this specific volcano and potentially apply their findings to other volcanoes around the world. Observing the birth of a water lake in a cold era, and its potential impact on the next eruption, will be of great interest to volcanoes with water associated with them.
Conclusion
The birth of a water pond at Kilauea volcano is a rare occurrence that is being closely monitored by scientists. While there is no imminent danger, the potential for future explosions exists. The activity at Kilauea can provide valuable insights for understanding other volcanoes around the world.
