There is now a continuous emission of ash from the new gas vent in Halema`uma`u Crater, turning the formerly white cloud of fume a dusty-brown color. The top of the ash plume, which is currently being blown to the southwest of the crater, reaches from a half mile to one mile above ground level. On Sunday night, small incandescent particles were observed erupting from the vent below the Halema`uma`u Overlook. A few particles were ejected with sufficient velocity to be deposited on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. On Monday morning, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists reported finding Pele’s hair (thin strands of volcanic glass drawn out from molten lava named after the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes), Pele’s tears (small bits of molten lava that cools quickly and solidifies into glass shaped spheres or tear drops), and spatter (clumps of molten lava) in the overlook area, indicating that particles ejected overnight included molten lava – the first erupted from the new vent, which is now 30 to 35 meters (100 feet) wide. The largest fragments of spatter, or blobs of molten rock, found on the crater rim are 10 centimeters (four inches) in size. The amount of lava erupted from the vent was small, but it represents the first lava erupted from anywhere in Halema`uma`u since 1982. Previous eruptions included lava flowing into the crater from fissure eruptions on its southwest rim in 1974 and 1971 and an eight month eruption in Halema‘uma‘u in 1967 and 1968 that created a lake of lava that covered the entire crater floor. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor the activity. View the plume on the Halema'uma'u webcam on USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cam3/ .The park and the Western IMT continue contingency planning. More information is available on Inciweb at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1171/.
