Gravity fluctuations induced by magma convection at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Researchers have uncovered evidence of magma convection within Kīlauea Volcano's subsurface reservoir, a process previously inferred but never directly observed. By analyzing continuous microgravity measurements at the summit of Kīlauea, the team detected gravity oscillations with a period of approximately 150 seconds, which they attributed to density inversions in a magma chamber located about one kilometer beneath Halema'uma'u Crater. These fluctuations, distinct from seismic activity, provide a novel method for characterizing convection in magma reservoirs, offering new insights into the dynamics of persistently active volcanoes.

Carbone, D., & Poland, M. P. (2012). Gravity fluctuations induced by magma convection at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. Geology, 40(9), 803–806. https://doi.org/10.1130/g33060.1