These are all gases that are really not fun for average folks to breathe in, let alone if you have any sort of respiratory issue,” Phoenix said. “You’re talking hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide. You don’t want to breathe them in,” volcanologist Jess Phoenix said. Residents and visitors can expect “vog conditions, ash in the air, and levels of sulfur dioxide to increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state,” the Hawaii health department said.Īnd plumes of dark clouds billowing out of the volcanoes aren’t smoke – they’re “volcanic gases, which are acid gases. State health officials have warned of potential air quality issues, including vog – or volcanic smog. Lava is spilling toward a key Hawaiian highway, but the governor says it's safe to visit the Big Island But this is the first time in decades that both volcanoes have erupted simultaneously. Kilauea has been erupting since last year. Just 21 miles away from Mauna Loa, another volcano is also erupting in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. “And the staff at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say that they can provide at least 24-48 hours advance warning if the lava appears to be threatening the roadway,” he said.Īnd if emergencies arise during a possible highway closure, there are hospitals and first responders on each side of the island, Weintraub said. The transportation department can provide a six-hour notice of the road’s closure, Weintraub said. Hawaii’s transportation department shared a preliminary plan for the possibility of closure. Mauna Loa eruption disrupts critical climate tool used to measure carbon emissions in the atmosphere United States Geological Survey/Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Bogi Adolfsson, director of the Þorbjörn Search and Rescue team in Grindavík says the lava flow is expected to flow over more of the current hiking path and authorities have approved the preparation of a new trail to the eruption which will become the main path.Mauna Loa's eruption sent lava flows cascading down slope, impacting the road used to access the Mauna Loa Observatory and cutting off power to maintain critical climate tool. The end of the path is now inaccessible as lava has surrounded what was once the main lookout over the erupting crater. Authorities have also created temporary parking lots at the site and marked a hiking path. Since the eruption began, Search and Rescue crews have been monitoring the area to ensure visitor safety. Read More: Long Eruption on Reykjanes Could Form Shield Volcano New Hiking Path in the Works It hasn’t quite become one yet but it’s going in the right direction.” While he refrained from calling the eruption a shield volcano, he did admit that activity was pointing in that direction. Then it gushes over and that just adds to the covering,” Þorvaldur Þórðarson, Professor at the University of Iceland’s Institute of Earth Sciences (University of Iceland) told mbl.is. Especially this channel, it’s being covered up bit by bit. “Now the crater is closing little by little. The third period encompasses the past seven weeks, during which the lava flow has been emerging from a single, large crater and has increased from 5-8 cubic metres per second to as much as 13. The second period began in April, and was characterised by new vents opening to the north of the first craters and a flow of 5-8 cubic metres per second. During the first two weeks, the eruption had a steady though slightly diminishing flow that started at around 7-8 cubic metres per second and slowed to 4-5 cubic metres per second. Geologists have identified three distinct periods of activity since magma broke the surface. The Geldingadalir eruption began on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula nearly three months ago on March 19, 2021. The eruption has become a popular tourist site and authorities have already approved the preparation of a new hiking path as lava is expected to flow across the one currently used by visitors. The eruption seems to be developing into what’s known as a shield volcano, a formation created by lava flowing slowly over a long period. The main active crater is slowly closing up as lava accumulates and cools around the opening. Most of the lava flowing from the Geldingadalir eruption is below the surface and entirely hidden from view.
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