Summary of Eruptions
Historical Eruptions at Kilauea volcano have occurred from both the summit caldera
and from vents along the East Rift Zone. The historical record began with a very
explosive phreatomagmatic eruption in 1790. After this, the volcano was almost
continuously active, mostly showing gentle effusion from a lava lake at the summit
until 1924, when it again erupted explosively. The period 1924 to 1955 saw
mostly short-duration summit eruptions. From 1955 to the present Kilauea has seen
mostly East Rift Zone activity interspersed with small summit eruptions. Two
notable rift eruptions were Mauna Ulu (1969-1974) and
Pu`u `O`o (1983-present).
Kilauea's Eruption rate diminished steadily over the first half of the historic
period but has been increasing again since 1924.
Historial eruption deposits in the summit region of Kīlauea Caldera. Month/year labels on lava flows. Entire caldera floor has been covered either by lava flows erupted since 1885 or by the early 19th century Keanakāko'i Ash (not on map). US Geologica Survey HVO image. |
Year | Date of Outbreak | Duration (days) | Location |
Volume (cubic meters) |
1750 (?) | - | - | East rift | 14,200,000 |
1790 (?) | - | - | East rift | 27,500,000 |
1790 | November (?) | - | Caldera | No lava flow |
1823 | Feb.-July | Short | Southwest rift | 11,000,000 |
1832 | Jan. 14 | Short | East rim of caldera | (?) |
1840 | May 30 | 26 | East rift | 205,000,000 |
1868 | April 2 | Short | Kilauea Iki | (?) |
1868 | April 2 (?) | Short | Southwest rift | 183,000 |
1877 | May 4 | 1 (?) | Caldera wall | (?) |
1877 | May 21 (?) | - | Keanakakoi | (?) |
1884 | Jan. 22 | 1 | East rift | (?) |
1885 | March | 80 (?) | Caldera | (?) |
1894 | Mar. 21 | 6+ | Caldera | (?) |
1894 | July 7 | 4 (?) | Caldera | (?) |
1918 | Feb. 23 | 14 | Caldera | 183,000 |
1919 | Feb. 7 | 294 | Caldera | 25,200,000 (?) |
1919 | Dec. 21 | 221 | Southwest rift | 45,300,000 |
1921 | Mar. 18 | 7 | Caldera | 6,400,000 |
1922 | May 28 | 2 | Makaopuhi and Napau | (?) |
1923 | Aug 25 (?) | 1 | East rift | 73,000 |
1924 | May 10 | 17 | Caldera | No lava |
1924 | July 19 | 11 | Halemaumau | 234,000 |
1927 | July 7 | 13 | Halemaumau | 2,300,000 |
1929 | Feb. 20 | 2 | Halemaumau | 1,400,000 |
1929 | July 25 | 4 | Halemaumau | 2,600,000 |
1930 | Nov. 19 | 19 | Halemaumau | 6,200,000 |
1931 | Dec. 23 | 14 | Halemaumau | 7,000,000 |
1934 | Sept. 6 | 33 | Halemaumau | 6,900,000 |
1952 | June 27 | 136 | Halemaumau | 46,700,000 |
1954 | May 31 | 3 | Halemaumau and caldera | 6,200,000 |
1955 | Feb. 28 | 88 | East rift | 87,600,000 |
1959 | Nov. 14 | 36 | Kilauea Iki | 37,200,000 |
1960 | Jan. 13 | 36 | East rift | 113,200,000 |
1961 | Feb. 24 | 1 | Halemaumau | 22,000 |
1961 | Mar. 3 | 22 | Halemaumau | 260,000 |
1961 | July 10 | 7 | Halemaumau | 12,600,000 |
1961 | Sept. 22 | 3 | East rift | 2,200,000 |
1962 | Dec. 7 | 2 | East rift | 310,000 |
1963 | Aug. 21 | 2 | East rift | 800,000 |
1963 | Oct. 5 | 1 | East rift | 6,600,000 |
1965 | Mar. 5 | 10 | East rift | 16,800,000 |
1965 | Dec. 24 | <1 | East rift | 850,000 |
1967 | Nov. 5 | 251 | Halemaumau | 80,300,000 |
1968 | Aug. 22 | 5 | East rift | 130,000 |
1968 | Oct. 7 | 15 | East rift | 6,600,000 |
1969 | Feb. 22 | 6 | East rift | 16,100,000 |
1969 | May 24 | 867 | East rift | 176,700,000 |
1971 | Aug. 14 | <1 | Caldera | 9,100,000 |
1971 | Sept. 24 | 5 | Caldera and southwest rift | 7,700,000 |
1972 | Feb. 4 | 455 | East rift | 119,600,000 |
1973 | May 5 | <1 | East rift | 1,200,000 |
1973 | Nov. 10 | 30 | East rift | 2,700,000 |
1973 | Dec. 12 | 203 | East rift | 28,700,000 |
1974 | July 19 | 3 | Caldera and east rift | 6,600,000 |
1974 | Sept. 19 | <1 | Caldera | 10,200,000 |
1974 | Dec. 31 | <1 | Southwest rift | 14,300,000 |
1975 | Nov. 29 | <1 | Caldera | 220,000 |
1977 | Sept. 13 | 18 | East rift | 32,900,000 |
1979 | Nov. 16 | 1 | East rift | 580,000 |
1982 | Apr. 31 | <1 | Caldera | 500,000 |
1982 | Sept. 25 | <1 | Caldera | 3,000,000 |
1983 | Jan. 3 | on going | East rift (Pu`u `O`o) | on going |
Data for eruptions prior to 1960 are from Stearns and
Macdonald, 1946. Data for eruptions from 1960 onward are from Hawaiian
Volcano Observatory reports. Data source: Volcanoes in the Sea, 2nd Ed.
by Macdonald, Abbott and Peterson, University of Hawaii Press, 1983.
Kilauea is a broad shield volcano built against the southeastern slope
of Mauna Loa. The summit presently has a caldera that is roughly 4km by
3.2km wide, and walls of between 0 m and 120m high. Another feature, known
as Halemaumau crater, lies within the main caldera (on the southwestern side).
For the past century, Halemaumau has been the principal site of activity at
Kilauea's summit. There has also been frequent activity along the Southeast rift
zone (such as the presently active Pu'u 'O'o eruption, which started in 1983).
While at nearby Mauna Loa eruptions tend to occur in pairs (i.e., a summit
eruption followed by one on the flank), Kilauea's pattern of summit versus flank
activity appear to be more random. However, evidence of numerous flank
eruptions occurring after a summit eruption can be found.
The thin pahoehoe flows that built Kilauea can be seen in the walls
of the caldera. Pahoehoe
flows predominate in that region because they are close to the vents in which
they were issued. With the increasing distance from the caldera and rift zones,
aa becomes more abundant, particularly nearer the coast.
HCV Home | Hawaiian Volcanoes | Loihi | Kilauea | Mauna Loa | Hualalai |
This page created and maintained by Ken Rubin ©, krubin@soest.hawaii.edu
Follow site author @kenrubin on Twitter