Kilauea Eruptions 2008
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For those of you who have missed it, Halemaumau Crater at Kilauea (Hawai’i, USA) have been experiencing new eruptions – some of them explosive – for the last couple months. These are the first eruptions at Halemaumau since the 1980s and the first explosive eruptions at Kilauea since the 1920s. Much of the area around the crater in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park are closed due to the volcanic gases and the potential for more explosive eruptions to throw material out of the crater. These explosive eruptions are likely caused by the interaction between the magma below the surface intersecting water (phreatomagmatic eruptions), but they are still dangerous (and impressive).
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In fact, the vent erupting has caused the vent to glow red, orange and yellow as the lava nears the surface. Now, the cool thing we’re all waiting to see is if these eruptions might lead to a new lava lake at Halemaumau. Now, that would be worth the price of admission to see in action.
