Geophysical sensing experiments on Kilauea Iki lava lake
The Hawaiian lava lake in the Kilauea Iki pit crater, resulting from the 1959 summit eruption of Kilauea volcano, has served as a natural laboratory for the continuing study of the petrology, rheology, and thermal history of ponded molten basalt flows in the field environment. During 1975 and 1976, a series of electromagnetic and seismic experiments were coordinated in an attempt to define the in-situ geophysical properties and the configuration of the molten lava core as closely as possible. Drilling and geophysical experiments in 1976 suggested that the solidified crust of the lava lake had a cool, resistive surface layer, undersaturated with water to a depth of 5 meters. A warm, wet layer containing appreciable water and/or steam was essentially isothermal (100/sup 0/C) to 33 meters. From 33 to 45 meters the temperature climbed rapidly (from 100/sup 0/ to 1070/sup 0/C) until a thin plexus of molten sills was encountered, interbedded with solid layers. Below this (50 meters) was apparently a layer having the highest temperature, lowest viscosity, and lowest density of olivine phenocrysts. At 70 meters, a transition zone to a crystalline mush was indicated, and finally (between 80 and 95 meters), solid basalt extended down to the preflow surface at a depth of 115 to 120 meters.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5438187
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-77-0828
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
KILAUEA VOLCANO
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
WELL DRILLING
BASALT
ELECTROMAGNETIC SURVEYS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
HAWAII
LAVA
MAGNETOTELLURIC SURVEYS
PETROLOGY
RHEOLOGY
SEISMIC SURVEYS
DRILLING
ELECTRICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGY
IGNEOUS ROCKS
NORTH AMERICA
ROCKS
SURVEYS
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
VOLCANOES
WESTERN REGION
Geothermal Legacy
150901* - Geothermal Engineering- Drilling Technology & Well Hardware
150301 - Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology- Geophysical Techniques & Surveys