Update On Volcanic Events

The Western IMT is in the process of preparing short and long term contingency plans for a variety of scenarios, including elevated sulfur dioxide levels, explosive events, and lava eruptions. The main concern at this time is that sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates from the summit of Kilauea volcano continue to be elevated at about 1,200 tons/day, compared to a normal background rate of between 150 and 200 tons/day. Once the gas is released into the air, the danger it poses to human health is directly related to its concentration. Higher concentrations are found downwind of the source, so changes in wind direction and speed can bring gases at hazardous concentrations into different areas. Trade (northeasterly) winds keep gas emissions in the south caldera, an area of the park currently closed to the public. When the winds shift or die down, SO2 concentrations can rise in areas still open to visitation. (See the plume venting from the wall of Halema‘uma‘u crater at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cam3/). There have been no new explosive eruptions since the explosion that occurred Wednesday morning, March 19th, in Halema‘uma‘u crater. That explosion scattered rock debris over an area of about 75 acres, covering a portion of Crater Rim Drive and trail and damaging the overlook at Halema'uma'u. No lava was erupted as part of the explosion. Today, the park will team with the Hawai'i National Guard and Hawai'i County Fire Department to carry out a joint helicopter flight operation. Throughout the day, a Hawai'i County helicopter will fly over the volcano to measure sulfur dioxide levels venting from the summit of Kilauea. The data obtained will be used to develop maps that depict various scenarios of sulfur dioxide concentrations relative to wind direction and speed. On Wednesday, the park will host a media briefing to provide an update on the elevated SO2 levels, the park's monitoring and communication efforts, and the impacts of elevated SO2 levels on park operations and staff and visitor health and safety. Those invited to participate in the presentation include USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists, park and IMT staff, the mayor of the county of Hawai‘i, and Department of Health Representatives from the state of Hawai‘i.