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In 2018, Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted like a stomp rocket

This could be a new mechanism for volcanic eruption

A photo of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupting on May 27, 2018.

A strange series of explosive eruptions at Kilauea in May 2018, including this one on May 27, were caused by a newly described stomp rocket–style eruption mechanism.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, USGS

By Carolyn Gramling

A series of explosions from the Hawaiian volcano Kilauea in 2018 may have been triggered by a never-before-seen style of eruption — one that’s reminiscent of a stomp rocket toy.