Tag: Peles hair

Tephra

While enjoying and photographing episode 15 of the current eruption we got dumped on.

Pele's hair and reticulite from the episode 15 lava fountains
Pele’s hair and from the episode 15 lava fountains under the microscope

It was while photographing the spectacular fountains of episode 15 that bits of tephra began drifiting down on the crowded viewpoints along the crater rim. There was little wind and the enormous volcanic plume drifted over the eastern end of the caldera where thousands of people had come to view the eruption.

As I stood by the tripod I noted little clumps of Pele’s hair lazily drifiting down. Looking to see where it landed I note minute black gritty granules atop the camera and tripod. Oh lovely!

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Episode 15

Reading the tiltmeter data it was clear that the pressure was building again, an eruption appearing likely in the next day or two. The last episodes have produced ever higher lava fountains, I expect episode 15 to go even higher and I truly wish to see it when it happens.

Right on schedule the first lava appeared, a little rivulet of lava overflowing the north vent onto the crater floor. If the pattern repeated this would be followed by high lava fountains in the next ten hours or so. Episode 15 was on.

Strong glow from the eruption vents illuminate the heavy volcanic plume above between surges
Strong glow from the eruption vents illuminate the heavy volcanic plume above between surges

Tomorrow it would be, and as tomorrow was also a holiday for me, Prince Kūhiō Day, I would be free to make another volcano run!!

We are a go.

The same plan… a 2am alarm, hit the road, 4am in the park, hike to the Keanakāko’i viewpoint.

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