Kilauea & Mauna Loa
Added 2022-12-15 03:52:47 +0000 UTCYou might have noticed that in the last week both Kilauea & Mauna Loa stopped erupting. This begs the question, did one volcano trigger a decrease in activity at another? Theoretically, yes, it can indirectly cause changes.
The U.S. Geological Survey stated on Twitter that (this is a direct quote):
“For "stress effects" think of two kids in the back seat of a car. They don't share the same set of veins or nerves, but they can still influence one another. One pushes the other into a corner. Or one curls up to fall asleep, allowing the other child more room to expand.” (Direct quote from https://twitter.com/usgsvolcanoes/status/1603161879903236096?s=46&t=gqrdt_mHzWHIqbaeNwm9kA)
In this quote they are referencing Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Both are hotspot volcanoes from the same hotspot. This analysis might explain why volcanoes within Idaho can erupt at around the same time or other nearby systems. This might also help to explain why volcanos on the Reykjanes peninsula seem to erupt at around the same time. (This is why the Reykjanes peninsula has already produced 2 eruptions and 5 failed intrusions since 2019).
Photo Credit of Kilauea erupting on September 23, 2022: M. Patrick, U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Public Domain, https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/september-23-2022-kilauea-0
