The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-20


NADINE Pelc soon ovinced the fact
that her tremendous activity for the
period was not over with the collapse
of the bubble. for three days after its
disappearance two new islands appear
cd on the lava lake corresponding
roughly in size and shape to the is
lands which had sunk few days
previous. August q these were first
noticeable. The theory put forth by
Prof Perret for their formation is that
the old island had not sunk far and
its proximity chilled the surface lava
making it CONCEAL into the formation
Of new feature. AS the time went
Oh the new islands increased in size
through accretion and Joined by a
downward growth to the old island
below The fire lake became less
active at this time and even "Old
Faithful" was affected to the extent
that it appeared but once an hour dur
ing a considerable period. Slight earth
quake shocks weIS experienced by
those in the vicinity of the crater so
many times during the activity that
they finally ceased to note them and
the contour of the shores of the lava
lake were changed beyond recognition
The west and north shores were hid
den under strata of loose blocks of
stone and the entire south ledge, by
a process of almost infinite sub-divi-
sion, actually flowed downward into
the lake as though it were composed
of plastic materials. On August %
there was large cave on the west
wall of the lake, the cave making 1t
inaccessible. During these weeks long
roaring blasts of the gas collected I'M
der the downward sloping banks be-
came very frequent.
In Prof. Perret's weekly letter cover
ing the period from August % to Sep
TENDER 3, he stated that the lowest
level of the lava lake was reached on
August 30, when the level was 313
feet below the technology station,
where the volcanologist lived, although
it reached an even lower level later in
the summer. On the day preceding
this the islands moved out from their
former position under the eastern
hank to point near the south shore
CT the lake and grew in height until
they stood some ten feet above the
surface of the lake. With the change
in the location of the islands odd
Faithful" which had almost gone out
/ Of action, resumed it's activities, al
though changing its position Slightly
from its former location. Hydrochloric
acid was detected by Prof. Perret in
the gases from the crater, this being
taken as an indication of the high
| grade of volcanic activity, and al
! though the lake of lava stood at low
Ell level, the actual movement of the
lava, as shown by the convection cur
rents and fountains was very great
Lava Affected by the Moon.
A peculiar phenomenon in relation
to the rise and fall of the lava in the
lake is the fact that it, like the tides
OF the sea, seems to be largely affect
ed by the moon. The moon was full
in Hawaii on the night of September
s, and at this time the lava column
rose until it overlooked the banks and
almost caused the complete submer-
sion of the islands. AS it was, the
smaller and lower island was sub
merged and stayed out of sight below
the level of the lake until the morn
ing of the 10th. At this period the
north and south shores grew gradual
ly out into the lake, making it narrow
: er in a north and south direction.
Throughout all these activities and
during the time that the greatest tur-
moil was being effected in the vicinity
of the crater by the constant changes
and evolutions of the lava, the people
, of the islands were in no way disturb
ed Had such phenomena been OBJ
servable at the craters of Etna or
Vesuvius, or indeed any other active
volcanoes, great alarm would have
been felt, and with good reason, for
they would have prefaced a possible
eruption and consequent destruction
Of life and property. The lava at Kill
auea, however, is more fluid than at al
most any other active volcano and
consequently the gases pass freely and
harmlessly upward through it to the
air instead of being forced down till
their force cause a serious eruption
During the whole time, though, sight.
! seers and tourists were constantly
making the trip to the crater in com.
2 fparative safety, and no alarm was felt
: in any of the towns near the crater.
} No Sympathy Between Volcanoes.
: In the latter part of last summer
: occurred the outbreak of Mt. Etna, yet
, Kilauea showed no increased activities
: at the time, other than those which