DOI: 10.5066/p13sqtic
title: Continuous laser rangefinder measurements of lava lake elevation and crater filling at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2021-2024

description: 
The surface elevation of lava lakes is an important parameter that can provide insight on the underlying magma reservoir pressure as well as outgassing dynamics of the magmatic system (Patrick and others 2019a). Lava lake elevation may also be useful in forecasting potentially hazardous eruptions on a volcano’s flanks (Burgi and others 2014; Patrick and others 2015, 2020).  Precise measurements of lava lake elevation have been challenging in the past, due to thick volcanic gas plumes and the inaccessibility of most lava lakes.  New technologies, such as laser rangefinders, provides new opportunities to measure lava levels with high accuracy and sample rates (Patrick and others 2019b).
 
In this data release, we include data from a continuous (1 Hz) laser rangefinder (Safran Vectronix LRF 7047) measuring the surface elevation of active lava lakes and the solidified crater floor at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, from 2021 to 2024.  These data span five summit eruptions, which gradually filled Halemaʻumaʻu crater with new lava (Mulliken and others 2024).  These data may be useful for understanding lava lake behavior, as well as crater refilling processes.  A detailed description of the methodology is included in Younger and others (2024).  Related digital elevation models of the summit during this period are provided in Carr and others (2023).

References

Burgi PY, Darrah TH, Tedesco D, Eymold WK. 2014. Dynamics of the Mount Nyiragongo lava lake.  J. Geophys.Res. Solid Earth 119, 4106–4122,  https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JB010895 



Carr BB, LeWinter AL, Finnegan DC, Zoeller MH, Patrick MR. 2023. Rapid-response digital elevation models of the 2020–present summit eruptions at Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi (updated 2023-10-24). U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P99NLP4E 


Mosbrucker AR, Zoeller MH, Ramsey DW (2020) Digital elevation model of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi, based on July 2019 airborne lidar surveys. U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9F1ZU8O 


Mulliken KM, Kauahikaua JP, Swanson DA, Zoeller MH. 2024. Chronology of recent volcanic activity on the Island of Hawai‘i, Hawaii. U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9V3NQYB 


Patrick MR, Anderson KR, Poland MP, Orr T, Swanson D. 2015. Lava lake level as a gauge of magma reservoir pressure and eruptive hazard. Geology 43:831-834. https://doi.org/10.1130/G36896.1 


Patrick MR, Swanson DA, Orr T. 2019a. A review of controls on lava lake level: insights from Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, Kīlauea Volcano. Bulletin of Volcanology 81:13. 


Patrick MR, Younger EF, Tollett W. 2019b. Lava level and crater geometry data during the 2018 lava lake draining at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii. U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MJY24N. 

Patrick MR, Houghton BF, Anderson KR, Poland MP, Montgomery-Brown E, Johanson I, Thelen W, Elias T. 2020. The cascading origin of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption and implications for future forecasting. Nature Communications 11, 5646. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19190-1


Younger EF, Tollett W, Patrick MR. 2024. Monitoring lava lake fluctuations and crater refilling with continuous laser rangefinders. Submitted to Journal of Applied Volcanology.