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| Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is keeping a watchful eye on Mauna Loa, where a recent swarm of earthquakes occurred that is a possible, but not definite, precursor to the next eruption. Photo from HVO |
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY characterized a recent swarm of earthquakes as a possible, but not definite, precursor to the next eruption of Mauna Loa. While the swarm was small in historical terms, it was the first cluster of earthquakes in this region of Mauna Loa since the volcano’s 1984 eruption. “Only through continued monitoring over the coming weeks to months will the true meaning of the … swarm be known,” HVO said in the current issue of Volcano Watch.
HVO seismic networks recorded a small, three-day-long earthquake swarm just west of Mauna Loa’s summit Sept. 5 through Sept. 7. The swarm consisted of more than 350 detected and tightly clustered earthquakes at a depth of about four miles, but only about 25 were strong enough to be located. The strongest was a magnitude 2.4, and none were reported as felt. |
| HVO has many stations on Mauna Loa and Kilauea to track earthquakes. Image from HVO |
The swarm was in the same region where earthquakes began to occur a year or more before Mauna Loa’s 1975 and 1984 eruptions. It’s an area to which HVO pays especially close attention because of this connection.
The swarm is not the only Mauna Loa activity to have occurred recently. After the eruption in 1984, Mauna Loa immediately began re-inflating as magma once again filled and pressurized storage reservoirs beneath the summit caldera. Inflation waned in 1993, then resumed in May 2002.
In the second half of 2004, there was an intense swarm of about 2,000 long-period earthquakes more than 19 miles below the summit of the volcano. This swarm was possibly part of the deep magma system that fed the ongoing inflation, HVO reported.
The rate of inflation increased in 2004, but started to slow in 2006. These data fit the pattern produced by magma intruding 2.5 to five miles beneath the summit area. After 2009, Mauna Loa inflation continued, but very slowly and sporadically, “so the volcano is poised for its next eruption,” according to HVO.
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KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets Thursday at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards field office in Pahala. For more information, contact Jeff McCall at 928-6456.
PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT WEB BROWSERS and how to navigate a Web page during a free class held at Pahala Public & School Library Friday from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Call 939-2442 at least 48 hours before class to sign up.
PATTI PEASE JOHNSON OFFERS SILK PAINTING workshops Saturday at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village.
A workshop for beginners takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a three-hour intermediate workshop begins at 2:30 p.m. The three-hour beginning workshop includes an introduction to color theory, tips on mixing color, a lesson on stretching silk on a frame and more. In the intermediate class, Johnson covers the process of painting on silk using wax and the tjanting tool to create a resist line for dyes. Students should bring a design concept from an original photo or from plant materials or objects. Fee is $65 or $58.50 for VAC members, plus a $10 supply fee
per session. Call 967-8222 to sign up.
KA`U TROJAN UPCOMING SPORTS takes the Ka`u High girls varsity and jayvee volleyball teams to Hilo High tonight, brings an eight-man football team from Kealakehe to Ka`u this Friday evening, and takes the Trojan cross country track team and air riflery teams to Konawaena this Saturday.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.
The swarm is not the only Mauna Loa activity to have occurred recently. After the eruption in 1984, Mauna Loa immediately began re-inflating as magma once again filled and pressurized storage reservoirs beneath the summit caldera. Inflation waned in 1993, then resumed in May 2002.
In the second half of 2004, there was an intense swarm of about 2,000 long-period earthquakes more than 19 miles below the summit of the volcano. This swarm was possibly part of the deep magma system that fed the ongoing inflation, HVO reported.
The rate of inflation increased in 2004, but started to slow in 2006. These data fit the pattern produced by magma intruding 2.5 to five miles beneath the summit area. After 2009, Mauna Loa inflation continued, but very slowly and sporadically, “so the volcano is poised for its next eruption,” according to HVO.
Mauna Loa is still the largest active volcano on Earth. A volcano off the east coast of Japan, recently touted as the largest volcano in the solar system, last erupted 146 million years ago, possibly around the time the Pacific Ocean Basin was first formed.
Mauna Loa, on the other hand, has erupted 33 times in the past 170 years, and future eruptions are a certainty, HVO said. With recently upgraded monitoring networks, HVO keeps a close watch on any changes beneath the volcano that might signal its next eruption.
HVO offers increased availability of real-time earthquake data to the public. Locations and the actual seismometer traces (webicorders) can be viewed at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/. To view webicorder sites closest to the area in which the recent swarm occurred, click on Webicorders and choose ALEP or TOUO.
“For now, there’s no need to worry, but we should never lose sight of the fact that Mauna Loa is an active volcano, the largest on Earth, and it will erupt again,” HVO reported.
Mauna Loa, on the other hand, has erupted 33 times in the past 170 years, and future eruptions are a certainty, HVO said. With recently upgraded monitoring networks, HVO keeps a close watch on any changes beneath the volcano that might signal its next eruption.
HVO offers increased availability of real-time earthquake data to the public. Locations and the actual seismometer traces (webicorders) can be viewed at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/. To view webicorder sites closest to the area in which the recent swarm occurred, click on Webicorders and choose ALEP or TOUO.
“For now, there’s no need to worry, but we should never lose sight of the fact that Mauna Loa is an active volcano, the largest on Earth, and it will erupt again,” HVO reported.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U RESIDENTS CAN NOW CONTACT Hawai`i Health Connector’s Customer Support Center for information about health care coverage. The Connector is an online health insurance marketplace created to help individuals and small businesses take advantage of health insurance choices available to them.
“The ultimate goal (of the Connector) is to improve access to affordable health care coverage,” said executive director Coral Andrews.
While the open enrollment period begins Oct. 1, information about the enrollment process, with coverage beginning in January, is available before then. Contact the Connector at 877-628-5076 or support@hawaiihealthconnector.com.
See more at hawaiihealthconnector.com.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
While the open enrollment period begins Oct. 1, information about the enrollment process, with coverage beginning in January, is available before then. Contact the Connector at 877-628-5076 or support@hawaiihealthconnector.com.
See more at hawaiihealthconnector.com.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Sen. Brian Schatz |
SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ HAS CALLED FOR RENEWED EFFORT on gun safety legislation after 12 people were killed in a shooting at the Washington, DC Navy Yard yesterday.
“I joined the rest of the country in being horrified by yesterday’s senseless shooting,” Schatz said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families as they begin to cope with the loss of their loved ones.
“We have to do whatever we can to prevent this type of tragedy from occurring again. I call on my colleagues to pass bipartisan gun safety reform. When the Senate debated this issue in April, we saw widespread consensus from the public on common-sense reforms, such as expanding criminal and mental health background checks.
“While legislation can’t put an end to all violence, lawmakers must do what is right and close the gaping holes in our system in order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the severely mentally ill. Now is the time to do the right thing.”
“While legislation can’t put an end to all violence, lawmakers must do what is right and close the gaping holes in our system in order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the severely mentally ill. Now is the time to do the right thing.”
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE in this week’s Hawai`i County Council meeting via videoconferencing from Ocean View Community Center. The Council meets tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo.
Agenda is are available at hawaiicounty.gov.
KA`U RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE in this week’s Hawai`i County Council meeting via videoconferencing from Ocean View Community Center. The Council meets tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo.
Agenda is are available at hawaiicounty.gov.
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| Hilo One performs tomorrow in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from NPS |
HILO ONE PERFORMS TOMORROW as part of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s ongoing Na Leo Manu: Heavenly Voices presentations. The group features Likeke Teanio on lead `ukulele and slack key guitar, Aaron Agres on electric upright bass and Russell Mauga on 12-string guitar. The free program takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park entrance fees apply.
KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets Thursday at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards field office in Pahala. For more information, contact Jeff McCall at 928-6456.
PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT WEB BROWSERS and how to navigate a Web page during a free class held at Pahala Public & School Library Friday from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Call 939-2442 at least 48 hours before class to sign up.
PATTI PEASE JOHNSON OFFERS SILK PAINTING workshops Saturday at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village.
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| Fresh off of a win against Konawaena, Ka`u High's jayvee girls volleyball team travels to Hilo High tonight along with the sister varsity team. Photo by Julia Neal |
per session. Call 967-8222 to sign up.
KA`U TROJAN UPCOMING SPORTS takes the Ka`u High girls varsity and jayvee volleyball teams to Hilo High tonight, brings an eight-man football team from Kealakehe to Ka`u this Friday evening, and takes the Trojan cross country track team and air riflery teams to Konawaena this Saturday.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.
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