Volcanoes
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Fire

How the moon affects volcanoes

John Pickrell
New Scientist
Sat, 05 May 2018 09:01 UTC
earth moon doctor
© Brett Ryder
Throughout history, people have suspected the moon of messing around with life on Earth's surface. From inducing madness to affecting the growth of plants, most of these connections are as tenacious as they are ill-substantiated. But one area where the moon's influence cannot be disputed is on the seashore. Long before Isaac Newton's theory of gravity provided a physical explanation, the link between the tides and the phases of the moon was obvious to anyone with an eye for patterns.

And if the moon has such a strong effect on liquid water, well then, why shouldn't the ground be equally affected? Philosophers as far back as Pliny the Elder have speculated that the moon's movements across the sky might also be responsible for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Statisticians fought over the significance of the connection in the 19th century, and geophysicists of the 1970s and 80s kept the claim alive until lack of evidence finally pushed it out of the mainstream.

The current state of the field can best be summed up by an eye-catching paper published in January by Susan Hough. A seismologist with the United States Geological Survey, she had set out to answer an age-old question: does the timing of powerful earthquakes coincide with the phases of the moon? The abstract ran to one word: No.

Comment: Science is discovering there are multiple factors that contribute to the delicate balance of stability on Earth, a major aspect is the interaction between the bodies within our solar system, which recently been showing ominous signs of change: Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Earth changes in an electric universe: Is climate change really man-made?

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Seismograph

Powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake, strongest since 1975, hits Hawaii's Big Island near erupting volcano


RT
Fri, 04 May 2018 22:24 UTC
Hawaii Big Island
© USGS / Reuters
A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.9 has struck just off the Big Island of Hawaii as numerous smaller jolts, including a 5.4 tremor, shook the island in the past hours, amid ongoing volcanic eruption.

The US Geological Survey has upgraded the severity of the earthquake off the Big Island in Hawaii to a 6.9 on the Richter scale, roughly an hour after it was registered. According to the new USGS data, the extremely powerful tremor was registered 16km southwest of Leilani Estates, Hawaii, at a depth of 5.0 km.

The quake struck on the south flank of Kilauea Volcano at 12:33 local time and was followed by several aftershocks, according to the National Weather Service, as eruptions at the volcano continue. No Tsunami warning has been issued.

The tremor was the most powerful of a series of earthquakes that have been rocking the islands over the past days. No Tsunami warnings have been issued after the quake.


Comment: The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-6.9 was the largest Hawaii quake since the 1975 magnitude-7.1 earthquake, which killed two people. The two quakes were centred in almost exactly the same location. See also:

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Fire

Lava outbreak triggers evacuations in Hawaii amid fears of imminent eruption


RT
Fri, 04 May 2018 03:38 UTC
Kilauea volcano
© volcanoes.usgs.gov
People in the vicinity of the Big Island's Kilauea crater are being evacuated as lava threatens residential areas, after the most active volcano in Hawaii was disturbed by hundreds of small quakes and started shooting out ash.

The lava outbreak has reached the Leilani Estates on the Hawaii island, forcing the County Civil Defense to issue evacuation orders to some 10,000 residents of Puna community into emergency shelter set up by the American Red Cross.

Residents from Luana Street to the end of Leilani Estates are being asked to vacate their homes, Civil Defense confirmed, according to Khon Channel 2. In addition, areas bordering the East Rift Zone, from Puu Oo crater down to Kapoho, also face a high risk, and are urged to prepare an emergency plan.

Steam and lava emissions are being reported from a crack in Leilani Subdivision in the area of Mohala Street, according to the Department of Public Works. "Residents in Leilani Estates Subdivision on Luana, Makamae, Ho'okupu, Kaupili, Mohala, and lower Leilani Streets down to Highway 132 are required to evacuate the area," authorities advised.

"So there is fountains of lava, tons of lava coming out. Sounds like a jet engine," Pohoa resident Ikaika Marzo said during a Facebook live broadcast, urging everyone in the area to help their community evacuate safely.


Comment: Earlier this week the volcano experienced 250 earthquakes in 24 hours, with similar activity recorded prior to previous eruptions in the area.

Also, this isn't 'lava flow' from existing craters out towards the sea; this is a new crack that has opened up and is spewing lava high into the air!

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Seismograph

Fears Hawaii's Kilauea volcano will erupt at any moment following 250 earthquakes in the region in 24 hours

Tim Collins
Daily Mail
Tue, 01 May 2018 14:28 UTC
A series of earthquakes and the collapse of the crater floor at Hawaii's most active volcano
A series of earthquakes and the collapse of the crater floor at Hawaii's most active volcano could trigger an eruption, officials have warned. The lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea is one of several persistent on Earth. This image shows how it appeared on the evening of April 11
A series of earthquakes and the collapse of the crater floor at Hawaii's most active volcano could trigger an eruption at any moment, officials have warned.

Lava may burst through the ground east of Kilauea, one of five volcanoes on the US state's largest island, experts say.

The warning follows 250 seismic readings over the past 24 hours, with similar activity recorded prior to previous eruptions in the area.

In mid-April, an observatory issued a volcano activity alert when scientists noticed the Puu Oo vent was inflating and becoming pressurised.

The crater floor of the vent has since collapsed, and an 'intrusion' of lava was sent into a new area of the volcano which spread throughout last night.

Underground magma, which now flows beneath a main road and close to the residential district of Puna, could cause fatalities if it blows.
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Seismograph

Powerful earthquake in Bárðarðarbunga, Iceland, one of Vatnajökull's monster volcanoes


Iceland Magazine
Mon, 30 Apr 2018 11:56 UTC
Ice cauldron in Bárðarbunga The volcano is hidden beneath the ice cap of Vatnajökull glacier.
© Tómas GuðbjartssonIce cauldron in Bárðarbunga The volcano is hidden beneath the ice cap of Vatnajökull glacier.
The monster volcano Bárðarbunga, one of the most active and powerful volcanoes in Iceland and Europe, trembled yesterday afternoon. A sharp 3.9 magnitude earthquake was detected at 16:13 on Sunday afternoon, followed by a handful of smaller quakes.

The volcano has been relatively calm in 2018, with only a handful of 3+ magnitude quakes. The relative calm comes at the heels of relatively high levels of activity in 2016 and 2017. Since the largest earthquake to hit Bárðarbunga at the end of January, a 4.9 magnitude quake.

A 3.9 magnitude quake is considered a significant seismic event, as any quake in an active volcano which is larger than 3 on the Richter scale is considered a powerful quake. Quakes larger than 4 in volcanoes are relatively rare.
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Attention

Volcano erupts on Reunion island for the second time this year

Amani Hughes
Express (UK)
Sun, 29 Apr 2018 13:51 UTC
Reunion volcano: Dramatic images show lava and steam spewing from the volcano
© Alamy Live NewsReunion volcano: Dramatic images show lava and steam spewing from the volcano
Piton de la Fournaise situated on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion started erupting overnight, according to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano observatory (OVPF).

The eruption began at 11.50pm local time on Friday, April 27, and continued into Saturday.

The eruptive fault opened on the southern flank of the volcano inside the Enclos - the central caldera of the volcano.

The area around the volcano is totally uninhabited and the eruptions pose little danger to the population of Reunion.

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Attention

Volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan erupts again


The Mainichi
Thu, 26 Apr 2018 17:15 UTC
Mount Io erupts in Ebino, Miyazaki Prefecture, on April 26, 2018.
© Japan Meteorological AgencyMount Io erupts in Ebino, Miyazaki Prefecture, on April 26, 2018.
A volcano in southwestern Japan erupted again on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The agency said last Friday that eruptions at Mt. Io, one of the Mt. Kirishima group of volcanoes straddling Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, stopped after it spewed a plume of ash the previous day for the first time in 250 years.

The latest eruption occurred at around 6:15 p.m., the agency said.
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Attention

Lava lake at Kilauea volcano in Hawaii overflows


Herald Sun
Wed, 25 Apr 2018 11:32 UTC
USGS photo shows spattering at on the margin of the Halema'uma'u Crater lava lake margin on Sunday, April 22.
USGS photo shows spattering at on the margin of the Halema'uma'u Crater lava lake margin on Sunday, April 22.
Lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano spilled over the banks of the summit lava lake overnight on April 22, according to the USGS's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO).

Lava could be seen spilling onto the floor of the Halemaumau Crater in photographs and videos from the HVO team taken on April 22 and 23. The level of lava has since fallen back below to the level of the rim, according to the HVO update from April 23. "The lower lake level reflected the switch from inflation to deflation at the summit of Kilauea," HVO said in a statement posted on its website.

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Attention

Series of stronger eruptions at Stromboli volcano in Italy


Volcano Discovery
Wed, 25 Apr 2018 11:25 UTC
Stromboli volcano
A series of stronger explosions occurred yesterday (24 April) morning at 11:05 local time from the southernmost vent of the central crater area, ejecting glowing bombs to approx 250 m and generating a dense ash plume that rose a few hundred meters.
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Attention

Threat remains from 6 active volcanoes on Vanuatu islands


RNZ
Wed, 25 Apr 2018 10:48 UTC
Ash from the eruption of the volcano on the Vanuatu island of Ambae has smothered crops.
© Penama ProvincialAsh from the eruption of the volcano on the Vanuatu island of Ambae has smothered crops.
As Vanuatu's government prepares to evacuate Ambae Island after volcanic activity intensified, volcanoes on other islands remain in a state of unrest.

Ambae's Manaro Voui crater is at alert level three of five, posing a threat to the health of the island's 11,000 inhabitants, who are being encouraged by the government to evacuate.

Nearby, a level two alert is in place on Ambrym, according to the Geohazards Department, with exclusion zones around the erupting Benbow and Marum craters.

A geohazards analyst Melinda Haru said the main threat for the people of Ambrym outside those zones was gas emitted by the volcano.
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