Hawaii

Overview

In 1998 the U.S. Geological Survey cleaned and began to sample the only deep well in Kilauea’s summit region, which provides access to the hydrothermal system very close to the loci of magmatic and fumarolic activity (“NSF well”; locally referred to as “Keller well”).

Following the cleaning of the well we have started monitoring the well for water levels and chemical composition. We measure and sample water levels every two-three months to provide inference on the dynamic state of the hydrothermal system in the summit region where thermal gradients are highest and where most magma degassing of CO2 occurs.

Contact: Shaul Hurwitz

 

Publications

Ingebritsen, S.E., and Scholl, M.A., 1993 , The hydrogeology of Kilauea volcano: Geothermics , v. 22, p. 255-270.

Ingebritsen, S.E., and Scholl, M.A., 1993 , Annotated bibliography, hydrogeology of Kilauea volcano: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-551-D , 30 p.

Scholl, M.A., Janik, C.J., Ingebritsen, S.E., Kauahikaua, J.P., and Trusdell, F.A., 1993 , Preliminary results from an isotope hydrology study of the Kilauea volcano area, Hawaii: Geothermal Resources Council Transactions , v. 17, p. 187-193.

Scholl, M.A., and Ingebritsen, S.E., 1995 , Total and non-seasalt sulfate and chloride measured in bulk precipitation samples from the Kilauea volcano area, Hawaii : U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4001 , 32 p.

Scholl, M.A., Ingebritsen, S.E., Janik, C.J., and Kauahikaua, J.P., 1996 , Use of precipitation and groundwater isotopes to interpret regional hydrology on a tropical volcanic island: Kilauea volcano area, Hawaii: Water Resources Research , v. 32, p. 3,525-3,537

Hurwitz, S., Ingebritsen, S.E., and Sorey, M.L., 2002, Episodic thermal perturbations associated with groundwater flow: An example from Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii : Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 107, no. B11, p. 13-1 – 13-10, 10.1029/2001JB001654.

Hurwitz, S., Goff, F., Janik, C.J., Evans, W.C., Counce, D.A., Sorey, M.L., and Ingebritsen, S.E., 2003, Mixing of magmatic volatiles with groundwater and interaction with basalt on the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 108, no. B1, p. 8-1 – 8-12, 10.1029/2001JB001594.

Hurwitz, S., and Ingebritsen, S.E., 2003, Good news or bad?: New study of temperature inversions in NSF deep geothermal well at Kilauea volcano: Geothermal Resources Council Bulletin, v. 32, p. 111-115.

Hurwitz , S., and Johnston, M.J., 2003, Groundwater level changes in a deep well in response to an intrusion event on Kilauea Volcano, Hawai’i, Geophysical Research Letters, v. 30, 22,2173, doi:10.1029/2003GL018676.

 

links

The Hawaiian volcano observatory

Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project