Puʻu ʻŌʻō

Overview of the individual outbreak events

The Puu Oo ( [ puʔu ʔo ː ʔo ː ] in German geological literature usually Pu'u ' O'o, in travel literature and Puu Oo ) is a 698 m high slag and welding cinder cone in the eastern rift zone of Kīlauea volcano on the largest Hawai Big Island Iceland. The cone was founded during the Puu Oo- Kupaianaha eruption, which began on January 3, 1983 and since then continues.

Name

The name Puu Oo is often translated as "Hill of Oo ", a well- extinct bird. According to another tradition, he has been derived from another meaning of the Hawaiian word Oo that designates a grave floor. Since the volcano goddess Pele created by mythical tradition with her ​​magic wand Paoa volcanoes, these are probably the originally intended name.

Intermediate result of the current eruption series

By January 2005, the 2.7 billion cubic meters of ejected magma covered an area of ​​over 117 square kilometers and added the south coast of Kīlauea an area of ​​230 acres of land added. These 189 buildings and 14 km highway with up to 35 meters thick lava were buried. The eruption is due to its duration, the ejected volume, but also the nature of the released material, the proportion of magnesium oxide varies from 5.7 to 10 percent by mass, a feature within the approximately two centuries, reaching back records of the activities of the Kīlauea dar.

Emergence of Puu Oo

The eruption began on January 3, 1983, when columns in Napau crater formed after a 24 hour ongoing earthquake swarm within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and widened over the next few days across eight kilometers to the northeast. From these fissures broke - with temporary interruptions - during the first months of lava, until increasingly the activities on the - 1123 concentrated outbreak channel on the border of the National Park - later known as " Puu Oo - channel" designated. The channel broke over the next three years about every three to four weeks for each less than 24 hours out. A special feature of these early phases formed lava fountains, the magma hurled up to 470 meters.

By the fountains called AA lava was mainly released, the more viscous and more crystalline type the two types of Hawaiian lava. The released AA flows were usually three to five meters thick and moving at a speed between 50 and 500 meters per hour, and they were faster and narrower on steep slopes. Internal 13 hours reached the lava in the six kilometers southeast situated on a steep slope portion of the Royal Gardens, where her 1983 and 1984 a total of 16 houses fell in the years to the victim. The outbreaks were too short to reach the running on the South Coast Highway or the sea itself.

The ejected material of lava fountains collected gradually form a slag and weld spatter cones on who eventually towered over every other cone of the east rift zone to more than double to 255 meters. This Puu Oo cone designated as was unusually asymmetric, because the prevailing winds the ejected material piled mainly on the southwest side.

Shift of the eruption to Kupaianaha

In July 1986, the previous eruption channel broke, so that the lava was looking for a new way: the Kupaianaha - channel, three kilometers north-east of Puu Oo. This also ended the lava fountains and it started a five and a half year-long phase, emanated in the nearly continuous lava. Above the Kupaianaha in formation of a lava lake, which created a broad, low shield by frequent overflows, the maximum height of 55 meters was reached in less than one year. After a few weeks of continuous eruptions formed on the leading out of the lake main channel by lateral lava flows piecewise one roof, so that eventually resulted in a lava tube. Such a tube, the heat of the lava flow is preserved and are formed pahoehoe flows that are far more fluid than AA flows. These have grown cold on a flat and smooth, sometimes rope-like or corrugated surface and are therefore also referred to as " ropy ".

The released through the tube pahoehoe flows spread out in the direction of the twelve kilometers southeast lying coastal, required in this case, however, three months for the same distance, which had covered the AA flows of the Puu Oo before in a single day. In early November 1986, the currents for the first time visible from the community of Kapaahu. During November the lava of Kupaianaha attracted a swathe through Kapaahu and blocked the coastal highway before finally einmündete the end of November into the sea. A few weeks later, the lava flow shifted to the east and buried 14 houses in one day on the northwestern outskirts of the village of Kalapana. This lava flow dried up, however, after the lava tube clogged near the eruption channel.

Within the next three years destroyed pahoehoe flows houses on both sides of the continuously widening drainage area. Initially, the direction of these currents was steered by topography, but also high-altitude landmarks were rinsed with time.

From mid- 1987 until the end of 1989, a large proportion of the lava into the sea. Caused by the heat of the inlet steam explosions zermahlten, the cooled rock in black, glassy sand, the downstream accumulated in bays new beaches and formed on steep slopes below the water level banks which expanded the land area over time. In spring 1990, the tube system broke down to the sea on gradually, making it increasingly came to currents on the surface. This advanced into new areas and buried the Wahaula visitor center and adjacent houses in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The eruption changed in 1990, when twelve pauses of at one to four days duration broke the hitherto continuous outbreaks. At the same time the most devastating phase of the eruption began. In March 1990, the lava turned again in the direction of well-known for its historical sites and black beaches of Kalapana. At the end of the summer, more than a hundred houses in the village were buried under 15-25 feet of lava. Further east, the lava flowed into the sea and replaced the earlier palm-fringed Kaimu Bay by a magma level, towered 300 feet above the original land border. The end of 1990, a new lava tube that guided the streams of Kalapana away in the National Park, where they flowed into the sea again formed.

During this five and a half years of dominance of the Puu Oo Kupaianaha formed by a series of cave-ins, an approximately 300 meters by measuring crater. This crater led from 1987 to initially sporadic, but from 1990 a permanent lava lake.

During the year 1991, the Kupaianaha gave less and less lava, Puu Oo during the activity and the lava lake level rose continuously. In November 1991 came for three weeks from new lava chasms between Puu Oo Kupaianaha and from what the eruption at Kupaianaha continued to weaken until it eventually faded channel eruption on 7 February 1992.

Return to Puu Oo

Ten days after the expiry of Kupaianaha the volcanic activity concentrated again on the Puu Oo. On its western flank were low lava fountains from from a fissure. This was the first of a series of new-onset channels that were a total of eight years running. As before, the Kupaianaha joined the lava also calm and almost continuously. The activities of the mountain produced a 45 meter high, one kilometer by measuring Lavaschild on the western flank.

In November 1992, the lava crossed the Chain of Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and flowed 11 kilometers away from eruption channel at a Kamoamoa into the sea. This archaeological site was - just like the campsite of the National Park - buried in the months of pahoehoe flows. Again, formed by entrance of the magma in the Azurasee a black sand beach. Between late 1992 and January 1997, initiated lava tubes nearly continuous lava into the sea, and widened the Kamoamoa field that was largely within the national park. The slow ground- border below the cone through the tephra lava led from 1993 to step up collapsing on the western flank of Puu Oo. The largest crater formed here, the "Great Pit ", included nearly the entire western flank towards the end of 1996.

Collapse of the western flank

On the night of January 30, 1997, emptied the eruption of Puu Oo channel, which due to lack of back pressure of the magma initially collapsed to the floor of the crater, and then the west flank of the cone. Some time later broke to new fissures, from which emanated for a short time in and around the Napau Crater lava. This phase was over 24 hours. The collapse left a large gap in the west side of the mountain and the resulting rubble flattened craters on the now 210 meters deep. In the following 23 days was observed at the location of the outbreak no active lava more.

The next phase began on February 24, 1997, when again a lava lake formed at the base of Puu Oo crater. A month later lava also joined by new outbreak of channels on the western and southwestern flanks of the cone. In mid-June 1997, the Lavapegel rose inside the crater for the first time in eleven years back over the edge of the crater. Lava flowed down the eastern side of the mountain and spread up to one and a half kilometers down the slope in the rift zone. However, after a short time the lava ran out already through channels in the crater floor, so no other currents appeared over the edge.

In July 1997, lava flows reached the ocean again, and there flowed near the eastern border of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at two points, and Wahaula Komakuna until early 1999 into the sea.

On 14 January 1998, the level rose within the Puu Oo back drastically, so that again lava flowed over the crater rim of time. At the same time came in the form of lava fountains and flows out from some collapse craters of the southern flank. This flowed in the further course of the year directly into the tube system to the Puu Oo. The constantly -eating by the tephra cone of Puu Oo flows destabilized the increasingly so in formation of a new collapse pit on the southwest flank of the cone in December 1997. This " Puka Nui " called crater paced the end of 1998, more than 175 meters.

Clogged tube system

On September 12, 1999 earthquake and proclaimed himself emptying summit intrusion of magma into the upper east rift zone of Kīlauea. The pressure of the Puu Oo - channel subsided and thus the normal eruption was interrupted eleven Days - the longest break since the collapse of the cone 1997.

The outbreaks interspersed with a few weeks of increased activity in and around the crater again. Active lava covered again a large part of the crater floor and about ten new cinder cone formed within and on the flanks of the cone. Before this event, the lava flow was stable through the tube assembly for twelve months, while the rest became a part of the system in about eight kilometers from the coast permanently blocked. After reinserting the eruption, the lava flowed across the surface of the blockade and formed on the blocked tube large lava lakes. The resulting emergent, mostly very short streams plate structures produced with 5-20 meters and up to 500 meters in diameter, which united to a ridge along the tube. In mid-December reached longer flows at High Castle and Laeapuki the sea. However, they were so short-lived that the active junctions had shifted to the eastern side of the river basin in the spring of 2000. Over the next five months, led lava on the entire area from the eastern edge of this area up to a Kamokuna into the sea.

In early 2000, lava flows exceeded the eastern border of the national park and destroyed there in the next two years, several abandoned houses in the Royal Gardens. At times, put the inlets from the sea, a new current in E. Kupapau, on the eastern limit of the current territory of this break ended, however. This flowed for the first time since 1991 lava outside the national park into the sea, which was made available in August 2001 as a tourist attraction to the public. Within the first week after the opening traveled 400 vehicles per day over the generated between 1987 and 1991 Kupaianaha area. A second junction was formed in late September 2000 Kamoamoa. Both flows remained active until the end of the year.

Enhanced formation of shields and Hornitos

End of 2001, the lava flow decreased through the tube leading to the coast, so that from January 2002, no more lava flowed into the sea, but this reinforced flowed from the upper parts of the tube to the surface. As already in 1999, lava lakes and Lavaschilde formed along the tube. End of March 2002 were eight main shields a continuous ridge with 2.7 kilometers in length and up to 1.5 kilometers wide.

In the first three months of 2002 were formed in many places Hornitos - chimney -like eruption cone - on the tube, which were often between eight and twelve meters high. In addition, during this period increased the activity in and around the Puu Oo. In April and May 2002, several cinder cones formed at the Puka Nui, the bottom of which was covered by new lava flows. Mid-2002 had the crater, whose upper edge was scored by erosion, 180-200 meters in diameter. More cinder cones were formed in the west of the mountain. In April 2002, lava flowed from the southeast side of Lavaschilde in the top of the Royal Gardens, where another abandoned house was buried. This " Halp " current moved to mid June further into the Royal Gardens.

In the meantime, play on May 12, 2002, a new outbreak channel on the west side of the Puu Oo lava the western edge of the current area along, solving the largest forest fire in the National Park for 15 years from. The drained by this " Mother's Day " current Magma reduced the pressure below the Puu Oo, so that the crater area and its surroundings calmed. The " Halp " power remained with reduced activity on August across active.

The Mother's -day stream poured in July 2002 near the Chain of Craters Road to the sea. The following year, lava flowed in several places of the west side of the river basin almost continuously one into the sea. On most durable was the influence of this phase in West High Castle.

In spring 2003, again flowed lava from the Mother's -day tube and spilled out on Valentine's Day in the ocean after they had previously incorporated into another section of the Chain of Craters Road. This current remained active for only two weeks. End of 2003, the events of late 2002 repeated, so that again stunted the lower portions of the tubular system and formed the currents on the surface of plate structures. Again were cinder cone in the crater area, active on its western side and the Puka Nui.

Reinforced crater and flank activity

In January 2004, flowed first time since 1998 Lava directly from the crater and flooded three times in the Western Gap and the eastern edge of the crater. A few days later, four new outbreak channels opened on the south side of Puu Oo cone, causing a short, but very active current. Known as MLK channels - - In the further course, more channels opened and remained active until June 2005.

After the outbreak of the MLK- channels, the crater activity decreased initially, but began in February 2004, again, with the first lava flowed directly from the Puu Oo in the Puka Nui crater. More lava flowed again through the Western Gap. In early March, the crater calmed down and remained inactive until the end of the year. In March 2004, another major outbreak formed southwest of the cone, the PKK tube, which was from August to become the dominant lava tube of the eruption. End of April 2004 interrupted the " Banana " current, which broke away from the bottom of Lavaschilde, the eruptions of Mother's -day stream of slowly dried up in August. As of November 2004, the PKK tube was the only active lava tube. Your current split at the top of Pali and made out two arms. The lava of the western arm flowed for the first time in November 2004 at East Lae'apuki into the sea, the eastern arm only in January 2005 In June 2005, both streams flowed over a wide area of the coast -. High Castle to Kailiili - in the ocean.

The activity of the outbreak channels in and around the crater of Puu Oo took place between January and February 2005 again with almost continuous spillage of lava inside the crater. New cinder cone formed in the crater, Puka Nui and MLK the channels. The end of March the collapsed cone most active outbreak channel so that by the end of a lava lake appeared. In May, one of the MLK- cone collapsed and lay there a lava lake of 10 × 15 meters free on the surface was formed a crust by the end of June. In the second half cuts were the predominant changes in the crater. From the PKK lava tube from reaching 6 times the ocean during the year 2005 to more than 5 km of the coastline. At the end of only one stream at the east side of Laeapuki it was active, where on 28 November, the biggest collapse ( about 17.8 hectares) took a Lavabank during the current outbreak.

A quiet year

In 2006, not a particularly spectacular changes occurred. Within the crater rim, the relatively quiet phase stopped, which began in late March 2005, which was mainly characterized by moderate subsidence.

The PKK tube fed a steady lava flow into the ocean, where the entrance on the east side of Laeapuki remained active. In May, about a kilometer below the Puu Oo separated the Campout flow from the PKK tube and reached in August, the ocean on the east side of Kailiili. Another arm of the Campout flow reached in late December, the coast at Kamokuna so that the lava flowed at the end of 2006 in three places into the sea. The current at the east side of Laeapuki was with about 20 months of longest- active Lavaeintritt in the ocean and the Lavabank formed by it reached about 23 acres also record size.

The short break

As more and less lava in the area of ​​Puu Oo was found in June 2007, reported the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory from June 21 to July 1 a break of the outbreak. From July 2 to 14, a lava lake was observed in the crater of Puu Oo, followed by other activities at different sites. On July 21 fissure eruptions began east of the crater to the Kupaianaha.