An OBS Array to Investigate Offshore Seismicity during the 2018 Kilauea Eruption

On 3 May 2018, Klauea Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, entered a new eruptive phase because of a dike intrusion in the East Rift zone. One day later, an M-w 6.9 earthquake, which was likely trigged by the dike intrusion, occurred in the submarine south flank of Klauea Volcano. In mid-July, an ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) array consisting of 12 stations was deployed on the submarine south flank of Klauea Volcano to monitor the aftershocks and lava-water interaction near the ocean entry. Eleven OBSs were recovered in mid-September. Preliminary evaluation of the data reveals a large number of seismic and acoustic events, which provide a valuable dataset for understanding flank deformation and stability as well as lava-water interaction. Here, we introduce this dataset and document notable instrument malfunctions along with some initial seismic and acoustic observations.

Automated summary

In May 2018, the Klauea Volcano in Hawaii entered a new eruptive phase due to a dike intrusion, triggering a 6.9 magnitude earthquake. A submarine OBS array with 12 stations was deployed to monitor aftershocks and lava-water interaction near the ocean entry. Preliminary evaluation of the data revealed a large number of seismic and acoustic events, providing valuable insights into flank deformation, stability, and lava-water interaction.