Last month a "Volcano Watch" article discussed the bicentennial of the first visit of Westerners to Kīlauea caldera, led by English missionary William Ellis, in 1823. Ellis did not just visit the summit region; he had approached from Kaʻū, traveling along what eventually became known as Kīlauea’s Southwest Rift Zone. Ellis first witnessed evidence of Kīlauea’s restlessness
Volcano Watch: The most unusual Kilauea eruption…maybe 1823? hawaiitribune-herald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hawaiitribune-herald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Volcano Watch: The most unusual Kilauea eruption…maybe 1823? westhawaiitoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from westhawaiitoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Seeing that this eruption produced relatively thin and fast-moving pāhoehoe flows, we know the lava had a low viscosity. Essentially, it spread across the pre-existing ground surface like a coat of spilled paint rather than sticky tar. But why was the viscosity so low?