(1) VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA)
(2) Issued:(20100330/2228Z)
(3) Volcano:Mauna Loa (CAVW# 1302-02=)
(4) Current Color Code:GREEN
(5) Previous Color Code:yellow
(6) Source:Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
(7) Notice Number:2010/H1
(8) Volcano Location:N 19 deg 28 min W 155 deg 36 min
(9) Area:HI Hawaii and Pacific Ocean
(10) Summit Elevation:13681 ft (4170 m)
(11) Volcanic Activity Summary:Mauna Loa is currently not inflating and seismic activity is at normal levels.

Background: Re-inflation of Mauna Loa's shallow magma storage reservoirs started immediately following the most recent eruption in 1984, then turned to deflation for almost a decade. In mid-2002, inflation started again, just after a brief swarm of deep long-period (LP) earthquakes. A more intense swarm of 2,000 deep LP earthquakes occurred in late 2004, accompanying a dramatic increase in the inflation rate. Inflation slowed again starting in 2006, and appears to have ceased altogether starting in late October 2009.

Modeling of uplift and extension of Mauna Loa suggests that, between 2002 and 2010, more than 100 million cubic meters of magma accumulated at shallow depths beneath Mauna Loa. An additional, but unquantified volume was also intruded between 1984 and 1993. Thus, since 1984, the reservoirs beneath Mauna Loa have accumulated a volume of magma at least equivalent to the volume of lava that was erupted in 1984.
(12) Volcanic cloud height:Unknown
(13) Other volcanic cloud information:Unknown
(14) Remarks:Rising gradually to more than 4 km above sea level, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on our planet. Its long submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 km, and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 km. This makes the volcano's summit about 17 km (56,000 ft) above its base! The enormous volcano covers half of the Island of Hawai`i and by itself amounts to about 85 percent of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined.

Mauna Loa is among Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since its first well-documented historical eruption in 1843. Its most recent eruption was in 1984.
(15) Contacts:HVO media contact
(16) Next Notice:A new VONA will be issued if conditions change significantly or alert levels are modified. While a VONA is in effect, regularly scheduled updates are posted at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov