Scientists at Kilauea in Hawaii are currently observing a rare phenomenon: the birth of a crater lake. The 3 small water accumulations, which appeared last week, are growing and have now combined to a larger accumulation. At best, we can speak of an embryonic crater lake so far, but we can assume that it will continue to grow in size. The researchers are fascinated by the process on the one hand, but on the other they are worried about the development: if a large crater lake develops, the danger of phreatomagmatic explosions increases as soon as the magma penetrates again into the conveyor system below the crater. A suitable location for a new museum and visitor platform is still being sought, but if a crater lake is actually created and phreatomagmatic explosions could occur, the new museum will have to be built a bit further away from the enlarged crater.
Since the summer of 2018, the famous Jagger Museum on the edge of Caldera has been closed: As a result of the eruption, the Halema’uma’u crater collapsed and grew to the edge of the caldera. Cracks traversed surrounding streets and also the visitor platform at the museum. The exhibits of the exhibition were already brought to safety last year. At the moment only employees of the national park and volcanologists have access to the closed area.