Small Explosion From New Vent at Kilauea's Summit

Abstract

At 0258 Hawaii‐Aleutian Standard Time (HST) on 19 March 2008, a small explosion scattered altered and fresh lithic debris across a 40‐hectare area at the summit of Kilauea volcano. This explosion, the first recorded there since 1924, issued from a vent about 35 meters wide along the east wall of Halema'uma'u Crater. Ballistic fragments—the largest measuring nearly 1 meter across—were propelled upward more than 70 meters onto the Halema'uma'u crater rim. Coarse ash and centimeter‐size lithic debris covered part of Crater Rim Drive, and fine ash was deposited farther than 30 kilometers to the southwest.