62. episode of the Kilauea volcano’s 35-year-long eruption
Kilauea, Hawaii’s most active volcano, has begun a new phase of eruption. After a series of seismic tremors, clouds of gas and ash flew into the air. Lava has appeared on the slopes of the volcano and in the resulting cracks in the ground. Volcanologists warn that the eruption could continue for several more years.
Last Thursday, lava began flowing from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, forcing authorities to evacuate the local population. Hell broke loose after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter scale, to któwhich occurred on the day póΕΊ later. Krótko after it, cracks and fissures filled with lava appeared in the ground. 12 of them have been counted so far. Someóre are several hundred meters longów. Toxic fumes (primarily carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide) are being emitted from them, whichóre are no less serious a threat to health and life than lava. On top of that, sulfur dioxide can react with the air to form a so-called. volcanic haze.
Fountains of molten rock shoot as high as 70 meters in anóin altitude and are the cause of firesóin the forestów. The lava consumes everything that gets in its way. It has already consumed more than a dozen homesóin and numerous cars. It has so far covered an area of more than 100 kilometersóin square. Authorities warn that it may have temperatures as high as 1149 degrees Celsius. Nearly two thousand people have been evacuated from the regionób.
But the eruption did not start last week. The volcano has been active since 1983 and is constantly spewing lava and toxic fumes. Increased activity today is the last, 62. An episode that lasted for decades of eruptions. How much longer will it take? Unfortunately, to this question volcanologists do not know the answer. Maybe a week, maybe a few months or a few years.
– A series of earthquakes ahead of increased volcanic activity tells us that magma is moving underground. We also observed a lowering lava lake in the head of theówny crater. It was all indications that something was about to happen – Volcanologist Victoria Avery said in an interview with Science News.
Kilauea is one of six volcanoesóin, whichóre millions of years ago formed the largest island in the archipelago – Hawai’i. The largest of these is located in the center of the island of Mauna Loa. Kilauea, Mauna Kea, Hualalai and Kohala occupy the edges of the island. Mahukona is currently under water. All six are shield volcanoes, with broad sides composed of hardened lava and a flattened cone.
According to local beliefs, the volcano is home to the goddess Pele. Someóers from the residentów joke that the goddess is reclaiming her lands, but scientists have a better explanation for these phenomena. According to them, this so-called. fissure eruption – in whichórej volcanic material is spewing out along fissures in the earth’s surface.
Kilauea rises to an altitude of 1,227 meters above.p.m., But with the size of its neighbor – Mauna Loa – is small in size. Mauna Loa is the largest volcano in the world. It has a height of 4169 m n.p.m., But under water is the bulk of the góry. The total height of the volcano is 9144 m. – Mauna Loa really scares us. The last eruption of this volcano took place in 1984, but it’s a much larger volcano and can eject famously larger amounts of lava and ashów – emphasized Avery.
The U.S. Geological Survey USGS is eyeing further shocksów and increased volcanic activity.
