How old is kilauea volcano

The caldera was the site of nearly continuous activity during the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.

From to eruptive activity was nearly continuous along the volcano's East Rift Zone. Olivine crystals—the beautiful green mineral common in Hawaiian lavas—record when and where magmas move inside Hawaiian volcanoes before they erupt.

HST on September 29, Lava activity is currently confined within Halema'uma'u crater. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated.

Skip to main content. Search Search. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Several effusive vents arranged in a row on top of a dyke, feeding lava flows into Puka Nui collapse pit at Pu'u 'O'o crater, Kilauea volcano. More photos. Latest satellite images. Show more. First visit to our site? Try our free app! Android iOS version. Volcanoes in the South Sea. Tropical rainforest, coconut palm beaches, primitive culture and moon-like landscapes, and some of the world's most active and exciting volcanoes.

Join us on our expedition to Vanuatu. They could find no evidence of a single thermal plume. Temperatures were to degrees C to F hotter than expected at that depth. This data suggests that hotspots may not be as deep as previously thought and may not be permanently fixed in one spot.

Native Hawaiian oral traditions record the extraordinary eruptive history of Kilauea long before European and American missionaries wrote about it in their journals. Scientific study of the volcano began when geologist Thomas Jagger of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology visited Hawaii on a lecture tour and was approached by local businessmen.

In , Jagger convinced the National Weather Service to take over the pioneering research, and in the observatory was taken over by the U. Geological Survey. The current ongoing eruption cycle began on Jan. By April, the eruptions became localized at one vent. The frequent short eruptions produced thick chunky lava flows that usually cooled and halted before reaching the coast. However, in July , the lava made its inexorable advance into the nearby Royal Gardens subdivision and destroyed 16 homes.

The expensive subdivision was largely abandoned. In , lava flows cut through the town of Kalapana as the lava made its way to the sea.