Volcano Watch: School’s out for summer — introducing new Hawaiian Volcano Observatory interns

“Volcano Watch” is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week’s article is being issued a day early because of the Juneteenth federal holiday (June 19).

As another school year ends, the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory welcomes two new summer interns: Kamalani Poepoe and Ruth Gale.

With an ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea, now is the perfect time for these interns to contribute to ongoing work to better understand eruptions in Hawaiʻi.

Poepoe is an undergraduate at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo majoring in geology, with a minor in astronomy. She is participating in geoscience research at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory through the Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Sciences.

This is Poepoe’s second year as a Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Sciences intern at the volcano observatory, and her knowledge in the world of geoscience continues to grow.

In her first summer with the observatory, she explored the field of petrology, analyzing lava samples erupted during the June 2023 eruption at Kīlauea volcano to gain a better understanding of how and why Kīlauea continues to erupt.

This summer, Poepoe is using her petrology analysis techniques to study eruptions at Kīlauea’s summit between 2020 and 2023.

She continues to grow her geoscience toolbox, working with a seismologist at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to integrate recorded earthquake data from these eruptions to more uniquely constrain how and where magma was sourced during those events.

Poepoe is being mentored by observatory scientists Kendra Lynn (petrology) and Ninfa Bennington (seismology), along with Lis Gallant (physical volcanology) in the Geology Department at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Her summer experience will include work in the geochemistry lab, learning basic computer programming skills and aiding in eruption response at Kīlauea’s summit.

Ruth Gale recently completed her undergraduate degree at Pomona College in California, with majors in math and geology as well as a minor in physics.

Gale will head to the Stanford University this fall to work on a doctorate degree that integrates the fields of fluid mechanics, petrology and geodesy to understand the mechanisms that lead to lava fountaining at active volcanoes.

Geodesy uses surveying tools such as global positioning system and/or satellite radar to measure subtle changes in the shape of the Earth’s surface. These data are used to model underground processes such as magma migration and storage.

During her summer at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Gale will expand her skills in the field of geodesy by studying the ongoing and dramatic lava fountaining episodes at Kīlauea’s summit.

Specifically, she will analyze global positioning system data from the observatory’s permanent stations at Kīlauea summit to look for subtle changes in deformation associated with lava fountaining.

Gale is interested in understanding what portions of the magma storage reservoir at Kīlauea are providing the material being erupted during these lava fountaining events. She aims to answer the question: What can we learn about the structure of magma storage at Kīlauea from these fountaining episodes?

Her summer will include computer programming and analysis focused on this topic as well as assisting the deformation team with field activities such as maintaining the observatorys’s permanent global positioning system network.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff look forward to working with Poepoe (again!) and Gale as they pursue their research questions. Between their research and the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at the summit of Kīlauea, these interns will be busy.

We wish them an insightful summer of science as they enter this period learning and growth at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory!

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since Dec. 23, 2024, within the summit caldera. Its U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Alert Level remains at Watch.

Episode 25 of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater — which is confined to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park — occurred June 11, with about 8 hours of high lava fountaining from the north and south vents.

Summit inflation since the end of Episode 25, along with persistent tremor, suggests another eruptive episode is possible and could start anytime through June 20. (The actual window is from June 18-20.)

Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes.

No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Alert Level remains at Normal.

Two earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week:

• Magnitude-2.9 located 8 miles south-southeast of Volcano at a depth of 4 miles at 2:56 p.m. June 13.
• Magnitude-3.4 located 7 miles south-southwest of Volcano at a depth of 19 miles at 1:58 p.m. June 12.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Visit the observatory’s website for past “Volcano Watch” articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.