From the posting: After breaking out from the main tube, a surface flow has finally reached the Pacific Ocean. The main tube originates at the TEB vent on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, but this flow broke out from the main tube about four miles from the ocean. It finally came in contact with the surf about 6:30 AM on October 31, 2009 on a black sand beach built by previous flows. This new ocean entry is located about 1/2 mile west from the established ocean entry near Kalapana.

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Since opening in March 2008, the summit vent has sent out a thick plume of steam and ash into the skies over the Big Island of Hawaii volcano. Six months later, HVO geologists on a daily flyover of the vent captured this video of a lava lake roiling below the Halemaumau crater floor.

Similarly clear footage of lava activity within the vent has been scarce ever since.

But the new videos below—shot by HVO on June 3 and 4 as the plume recently assumed a less dense, slightly wispy character—offer some of the clearest, most measurable detail yet seen of the lava’s behavior within the vent. The footage shows molten lava emerging about 300 feet below the vent opening, the direction and speed of lava movement, and the character of that movement (waves, bursts, spattering, etc.).

Click Image to Watch Video

Click Image to Watch Video

Read Full Article at Hawaii Magazine

Kilauea Volcano plumes (NASA)

Small clouds float overhead, casting their shadows on the land surface below. The relatively light cloud cover allows a clear view of the plume that rises from the Pu‘u ‘O‘o Crater and blows toward the northwest. Along the island’s coast, dual small plumes blow in the same direction. These plumes arise from searing lava reaching the ocean water. A close look at this image reveals a landscape scarred by repeated lava flows. Deep brown and charcoal-colored rock rivers flow to the sea from Kilauea vents. In a bulletin issued on May 25, 2009, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory warned of the hazards presented by Kilauea’s lava delta, including the possibility of rock collapses and rock falls that can occur with little or no warning. In addition, the steam plumes that arise from lava entering the ocean contain fine lava fragments and acid droplets. Between the lava flows, brushes of deep green vegetation appear along Hawaii’s southern coast. The ocean water appears pale blue-gray, with a rippled surface. This light ocean color is likely sunglint—the mirror-like reflection of sunlight off the ocean surface. Ranking among Hawaii’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea is a shield volcano with a low, broad shape resembling an ancient warrior shield. Kilauea overlaps its neighbor, Mauna Loa, another shield volcano to the west. (NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 Team. Caption by Michon Scott.)

Source:  SatNews.com

Given extraordinary access by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the crew of Kilauea: Mountain of Fire aimed to take viewers about as close as one could get to the powerful forces of nature at work on the volcano. Another goal was capturing the challenges of the animal and plant life living in Kilauea’s shadow.

The footage we’ve seen so far certainly looks impressive.

Aerial views peering into the maw of Kilauea volcano’s Puu Oo vent. Molten lava from Puu Oo reacting explosively in blasts of steam and lava particles as it meets the cold, roiling sea. Close-up sights and sounds of underwater lava flows building more Big Island land beneath the surface of the waves. A hike into the pitch darkness of Kilauea summit’s Kazumura lava tube, the world’s longest and deepest.

“The production used a variety of filmmaking techniques to bring this story to life,” says producer-director Kevin Bachar. “From special camera cranes offering us unique perspectives, to underwater housings allowing us to get up close … the production team was always looking for interesting ways to tell the story about this volcano.”

View some actual HD behind the scenes preview at Youtube. Be sure to click the HD button on the lower right of your YouTube player.