I am kinda new to the site so this is my first thread. Just some info I dug up and wanted to put out. Most of this info you ol boys on here probeably
already know but looking at some rescent threads I figured this would be useful for those who dont.
Aviation Color Codes
GREEN
Volcano is in typical background, noneruptive state or, after a change from a higher level, volcanic activity has ceased and volcano has returned to
noneruptive background state.
YELLOW
Volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest above known background level or, after a change from a higher level, volcanic activity has decreased
significantly but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed increase.
ORANGE
Volcano is exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption, timeframe uncertain, OR eruption is underway with no or
minor volcanic-ash emissions [ash-plume height specified, if possible].
RED
Eruption is imminent with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere likely OR eruption is underway or suspected with significant
emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere [ash-plume height specified, if possible]
CURRENT ALERTS:
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Sunday, April 10, 2011 07:26 AM (Sunday, April 10, 2011 17:26 UTC)
This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and Webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was
prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at
www.nps.gov... or 985-6000.
Hawai`i County Kalapana Viewing Area status can be found at 961-8093. All times are Hawai`i Standard Time.
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25'16" N 155°17'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: The summit lava lake slowly filled and drained causing level changes of several meters. The Pu`u `O`o lava lake
continued filling the deepest part of the crater. Seismicity levels remained low.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: The lava lake level rose and fell deep in the vent inset within the east wall of Halema`uma`u Crater alternately
being filled from and drained to a source/sink out of webcam sight to the south; during each filling cycle, the lava surface was slightly deeper in
the vent cavity.
The summit tiltmeter network recorded deflation starting at 10:20 am yesterday that was weaker than the last several DI deflations and was not
accompanied by an increase in seismic tremor. Seismic tremor levels were variable but low. The summit GPS network recorded long-term extension
superimposed on small short-term variations (mimicking ground tilt). One deep earthquake was strong enough to be located on Kilauea volcano's south
flank faults.
The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 500 tonnes/day on April 1, 2011; measurements will resume when moderate
trade winds return.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents: The central lava source continued to erupt lava on the floor of Pu`u `O`o Crater filling the crater
to its previous high-lava mark (since the crater floor collapsed on March 5) before dropping overnight and becoming less active. Seismic tremor levels
near middle east rift zone vents were low.
The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `o`o Cone recorded continued inflation. The GPS network around Pu`u `O`o recorded neither extension nor
contraction since late March. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was below the detection limit of 20-30 tonnes/day
on March 31, 2011 from all east rift zone sources; measurements will resume when moderate trade winds return.
Hazard Summary: East rift vents and flow field - near-vent areas could erupt or collapse without warning with spatter and/or ash being wafted within
the gas plume; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas may be present within 1 km downwind of vent areas. Kilauea Crater - explosive
events are capable of ejecting rocks and lava several hundred meters (yards) from the Halema`uma`u vent; ash and Pele's hair can be carried several
kilometers downwind; potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide can be present within 1 km downwind.
Maps, photos, Webcam views, and other information about Kilauea Volcano are available at
volcanoes.usgs.gov... A
daily update summary is available by phone at (808) 967-8862.
A map with details of earthquakes located within the past two weeks can be found at
tux.wr.usgs.gov...
A definition of alert levels can be found at
volcanoes.usgs.gov...
Definitions of Terms Used:
methane blast: when lava flows advance through a vegetated area, small explosions sometimes occur due to the ignition of methane gas, produced by
lava-cooked plants and trapped beneath the ground surface. Injuries can occur as the result of airborne rock fragments.
rootless shields: a small mound of lava, located directly over an active lava tube that is built by repeated overflows from its top. These are
rootless because they are fed from a lava tube and not from a deeper source (vent). The upper part of the TEB lava tube has numerous rootless shields
built from the vent down to about the 1,500 ft elevation.
mauka, makai: Hawaiian terms for directions relative to the coast - makai (toward the coast) and mauka (away from the coast).
composite seismic events: is a seismic signal with multiple distinct phases that has been recorded frequently at HVO from the Halema`uma`u Overlook
vent area since its explosive opening in March, 2008. For the composite events recorded at Halema`uma`u, we typically see an initial high frequency
vibration lasting for a few seconds that have been correlated with rockfalls. This is followed by about 30 seconds of a long-period (LP) oscillation
with an approximately 2- to 3-second period. The final phase of the signal is several minutes of a very-long-period (VLP) oscillation with an
approximately 25- to 30-second period. The LP signals are interpreted to be from the uppermost portion of the conduit and VLP signals are interpreted
to be fluid passing through a deep constriction in the conduit through which lava rises to the pond surface we see in the webcam.
high lava stands: Starting in June, 2010, lava within the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent rises 20-40 m over an interval of 10s of minutes, remains high
for up to several hours, and then drains back to its previous level, while vigorously degassing, in several minutes. During the high stand, the gas
plume becomes wispy, gas emissions halve in rate, and seismic tremor drops to very low levels; the high stand is followed by a strong seismic tremor
burst, lasting several minutes, accompanying the draining. Many, but not all, high lava stands start with a rockfall event, some accompanied by VLP
seismic energy.
Inflating surface flow: is a lava flow that may not advance but continues to thicken as its top and bottom crusts grow around a continuously
replenished molten interior. This can be visualized as a large flat bladder of molten lava that could burst along its edges at any time.
Hakuma horst: a horst is an section of earth that is raised between two nearly parallel faults so that its surface is higher than the surrounding
ground. The Hakuma horst is located along the coast west of Kalapana; it was responsible for diverting lava through Kalapana village in 1990 and
appears to be having a similar influence on lava flows in 2010.
Halema`uma`u Overlook vent: has been difficult to describe concisely. The vent is actually a pit, or crater, in the floor of the larger Halema`uma`u
Crater in the floor of the larger Kilauea caldera or crater - a crater within a crater within a crater. It is easiest to describe as a pit inset
within the floor of a crater within a caldera. The pit is about 140 m (460 ft) in diameter at the Halema`uma`u Crater floor, is about 50 m in diameter
at the pit floor, and is about 200 m (660 ft) deep. As of November, 2009, a lava pond surface has been visible in a hole in the floor of this pit.
glow: light from an unseen source; indirect light.
incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The term also refers to the light emitted from a hot surface. The color of the
light is related to surface temperature. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806
degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650
degrees F).
CD: Hawai`i County Civil Defense
tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.
tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.
ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size.
TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.
microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.
DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for 'deflation-inflation' and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by
tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt
inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A
careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just
east of Halema`uma`u crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the east rift eruption
site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o, delayed by several hours. DI events often correlate
with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the Pu`u `O`o/July 21/TEB vents.
More definitions with photos can be found at
volcanoes.usgs.gov...
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is one of five volcano observatories within the U.S. Geological Survey and is responsible for monitoring volcanoes
and earthquakes in Hawai`i.
Thats all I have for you all for now.Thought the defenitions within this thread would be useful. There Dose not look like any major event by the
warning...but there is activity currently. This was mainly posted to give example of reading volcanic activity warnings. Not that I am an expert but i
found this useful.