Incredible Fire Hose of Lava Pours From Kilauea Volcano Into Sea
- 5 years ago
Stunning video reveals the massive 'firehose of lava' flowing from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano into the sea. Molten lava from Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is dumping directly into the Pacific. Massive lava stream is roughly 1-2 meters wide, spewing as a single large spout
This creates dangerous explosions as the hot lava interacts with the cool sea. The Kilauea volcano is spewing molten lava into the Pacific Ocean, spurring explosions that launch debris to twice the height of the sea cliff. Footage captured by the USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reveals the remarkable volcanic ‘firehose’ in action as it produces dangerous blasts, creating 'hazardous conditions on land and at sea.'
Upon a careful examination of the ‘unstable sea cliff’ this past weekend, researchers discovered a hot crack just above the site where the lava is flowing out, with temperatures as high as 428 degrees Fahrenheit.
The massive lava stream is roughly 1-2 meters wide and has been continuously pouring molten lava directly into the water at the Kamokuna ocean entry, according to the US Geological Survey.
It’s recently begin to flow from the lava tube as a ‘single large spout,’ causing pulsating blasts of molten fragments.
‘At Kilauea’s ocean entry on Jan 28 and 29, the interaction of molten lava flowing into cool seawater caused pulsating littoral explosions that threw spatter (fragments of molten lava) high into the air,’ the USGS HVO explains.
‘Some of these incandescent clasts fell on top of the sea cliff behind the ocean entry, forming a small spatter cone. During one exceptionally large burst, spatter as thrown about twice the height of the sea cliff.
‘These ocean entry littoral explosions, both large and small create hazardous conditions on land and at sea.’
With the discovery of a hot ground crack in the sea cliff overhead, the site is considered to be extremely unstable.
But, geologists set out for a closer investigation on foot January 28 wearing protective gear.
The team found that the eastern end of the crack is roughly 11.8 inches (30 cm) wide, and ‘deeply cut into recent lava atop the older sea cliff.’
They were unable to access the western end as a result of numerous safety concerns, including poor air quality and the unstable ground.
This crack could be a precursor to collapse of an unstable section fo the sea cliff, making the site extremely dangerous for anyone who ventures too closely to the ocean entry by land or by sea,’ the USGS explains.
Thermal imaging has revealed that the hot crack reaches 428 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) in the eastern end.
The lava flow streaming below continued on at a somewhat steady rate across last week, occasionally appearing wider and with holes in the sheet.
This creates dangerous explosions as the hot lava interacts with the cool sea. The Kilauea volcano is spewing molten lava into the Pacific Ocean, spurring explosions that launch debris to twice the height of the sea cliff. Footage captured by the USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reveals the remarkable volcanic ‘firehose’ in action as it produces dangerous blasts, creating 'hazardous conditions on land and at sea.'
Upon a careful examination of the ‘unstable sea cliff’ this past weekend, researchers discovered a hot crack just above the site where the lava is flowing out, with temperatures as high as 428 degrees Fahrenheit.
The massive lava stream is roughly 1-2 meters wide and has been continuously pouring molten lava directly into the water at the Kamokuna ocean entry, according to the US Geological Survey.
It’s recently begin to flow from the lava tube as a ‘single large spout,’ causing pulsating blasts of molten fragments.
‘At Kilauea’s ocean entry on Jan 28 and 29, the interaction of molten lava flowing into cool seawater caused pulsating littoral explosions that threw spatter (fragments of molten lava) high into the air,’ the USGS HVO explains.
‘Some of these incandescent clasts fell on top of the sea cliff behind the ocean entry, forming a small spatter cone. During one exceptionally large burst, spatter as thrown about twice the height of the sea cliff.
‘These ocean entry littoral explosions, both large and small create hazardous conditions on land and at sea.’
With the discovery of a hot ground crack in the sea cliff overhead, the site is considered to be extremely unstable.
But, geologists set out for a closer investigation on foot January 28 wearing protective gear.
The team found that the eastern end of the crack is roughly 11.8 inches (30 cm) wide, and ‘deeply cut into recent lava atop the older sea cliff.’
They were unable to access the western end as a result of numerous safety concerns, including poor air quality and the unstable ground.
This crack could be a precursor to collapse of an unstable section fo the sea cliff, making the site extremely dangerous for anyone who ventures too closely to the ocean entry by land or by sea,’ the USGS explains.
Thermal imaging has revealed that the hot crack reaches 428 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) in the eastern end.
The lava flow streaming below continued on at a somewhat steady rate across last week, occasionally appearing wider and with holes in the sheet.