HAWAII ISLAND (KHON2) -- Could heavy rain be to blame for the eruptions on Kilauea, including the one in 2018 that destroyed hundreds of homes? Scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) weighed in on a study that claims extreme wet weather could be the catalyst for major eruptions.
Molten red lava exploding out of the earth is awe-inspiring. The 2018 Kilauea eruption lasted two months, forever changing the landscape of Hawaii island and the lives of more than 2000 people who lived there.
But what caused the eruption?
One study by researchers from the University of Miami, claimed heavy rain could be to blame.
"This study kind of found a correlation between eruption frequencies at Kilauea and rainfall," USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Geologist Katie Mulliken said.
According to the study published in the Nature Journal, the 2018 Kilauea eruption "was preceded by several months of anomalously high precipitation. Immediately before and during the eruption, infiltration of rainfall into Kīlauea Volcano's subsurface increased pore pressure, to its highest pressure in almost 50 years."
The study said: "We propose that weakening and mechanical failure of the edifice was driven by changes in pore pressure within the rift zone, prompting opportunistic dyke intrusion and ultimately facilitating the eruption."
They said that the weakening and failure of the edifice were driven by changes in pore pressure in the rift zone, ultimately leading to the eruption.
"As we know, it's very rainy, really often in Hawaii, and we're on one of the more frequently active volcanoes," Mulliken added. "So, I guess the likelihood of that correlating would be high for a frequently rainy location as well as a frequently erupting location."
"So people don't have to worry about too much rain causing an eruption?" KHON asked Mulliken.
"No," Mulliken said reassuringly. "Bottom line."
So what caused the eruption?
Ultimately, Mulliken said it was likely caused by magma pressure. Lava from Pu'u o'o traveled down to the lower east rift zone creating pressure, which caused the eruption.
"We are on a hot spot, an active hotspot. So we are getting magma supplied from depth, and it's rising buoyantly, and that's what causes the eruptions here on Kilauea as well as Mauna Loa," Mulliken explained.
At HVO, she said they watch for surface patterns like inflation or deflation indicating that magma is moving or accumulating under the surface. And she said they also look at earthquake locations. Those are the two things they look at when forecasting possible eruptions.
"Those corroborating lines of evidence are something that is a really important thing to consider," Mulliken said.
To reach HVO's response to the study, click here.