Analysis of active lava flows on Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, using SIR-C radar correlation measurements

Precise eruption rates of active pahoehoe Lava flows on Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, have been determined using spaceborne radar data acquired by the Space Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SLR-C). A coastal site downslope from the Pu'u O'o vent was imaged once per day, on each of the four days of October 7-10, 1994. Day-to-day decorrelation due to resurfacing was determined by interferometric combination of the data at 15 m resolution over a wide area. On successive days, new lava resurfaced 335 700 m(2), 368 775 m(2), and 356 625 m(2). Assuming an average pahoehoe flow thickness of 50 cm, a mean effusion rate for this period is approximately 2 m(3)/s. The radar observations show persistent surface activity at each site, rather than downslope migration of coherent lava flows.