USGS image review identifies a merged southwest vent at Kīlauea

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has identified a merged southwest vent at Kīlauea’s summit after reviewing webcam images from before and after the 17 October lava-fountaining episode. The finding appears in an image analysis dated 2 November.

Scientists had initially attributed one of the sources of periodic glow inside Halemaʻumaʻu to the west vent. Their review, carried out during the last week of October, placed that glow between the original positions of the south and west vents. They now describe it as a merged southwest vent.

The first view was taken shortly after the west vent appeared and hours before fountaining episode 53. The middle view predates episode 55, which took place on 17 October; the third shows the crater after that episode.

Before episode 55, the west vent lined up almost directly behind the north vent from the camera’s viewpoint. Afterwards, the glow was offset to the left, towards the former south vent. The observatory notes that the camera’s zoom and framing changed, while the angle to the vent area remained consistent.

HVO describes the shift as a real geological change, with no significant change in volcanic hazards.