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BRIEF: New Kilauea video shows vent feeding lava lake
[June 07, 2011]

BRIEF: New Kilauea video shows vent feeding lava lake


Jun 07, 2011 (The Honolulu Star-Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Recent video from the Hawaii Volcano Observatory shows the lava lake in Halemaumau Crater being fed by a stream of lava from the southeast and spattering in the northeast corner of the lake.

Scientists say the level of the lava lake rose Monday evening and covered the lava stream, which is only visible from helicopter overflights. The lake was about 164 yards wide when the video and photo were taken last week.

The lava lake is in a vent below the surface of the Halemaumau crater floor. The vent opened in 2008.


Another lava lake is visible in Pu'u 'O'o crater in the east rift zone. That lava lake is in the center of the crater floor. The pool of lava is being held in place by an elevated rim of cooled lava about six to 10 feet higher than the crater floor and 130 feet below the eastern crater rim. The lava occasionally overflows the rim.

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