Explosive eruptions triggered by rockfalls at Kīlauea volcano, Hawai‘i

Abstract

Research Article| February 01, 2013 Explosive eruptions triggered by rockfalls at Kīlauea volcano, Hawai‘i Tim R. Orr; Tim R. Orr 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Weston A. Thelen; Weston A. Thelen 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Matthew R. Patrick; Matthew R. Patrick 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Donald A. Swanson; Donald A. Swanson 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David C. Wilson David C. Wilson 2U.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Tim R. Orr 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Weston A. Thelen 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Matthew R. Patrick 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA Donald A. Swanson 1U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA David C. Wilson 2U.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 25 Apr 2012 Revision Received: 09 Aug 2012 Accepted: 29 Aug 2012 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2013 Geological Society of America Geology (2013) 41 (2): 207–210. https://doi.org/10.1130/G33564.1 Article history Received: 25 Apr 2012 Revision Received: 09 Aug 2012 Accepted: 29 Aug 2012 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Tim R. Orr, Weston A. Thelen, Matthew R. Patrick, Donald A. Swanson, David C. Wilson; Explosive eruptions triggered by rockfalls at Kīlauea volcano, Hawai‘i. Geology 2013;; 41 (2): 207–210. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G33564.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Ongoing eruptive activity at Kīlauea volcano’s (Hawai‘i) summit has been controlled in part by the evolution of its vent from a 35-m-diameter opening into a collapse crater 150 m across. Geologic observations, in particular from a network of webcams, have provided an unprecedented look at collapse crater development, lava lake dynamics, and shallow outgassing processes. These observations show unequivocally that the hundreds of transient outgassing bursts and weak explosive eruptions that have punctuated the vent’s otherwise nearly steady-state behavior, and that are associated with composite seismic events, were triggered by rockfalls from the vent walls onto the top of the lava column. While the process by which rockfalls drive the explosive bursts is not fully understood, we believe that it is initiated by the generation of a rebound splash, or Worthington jet, which then undergoes fragmentation. The external triggering of low-energy outgassing events by rockfalls represents a new class of small transient explosive eruptions. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.