Visitors to White Island this week reported loud sounds coming from the active crater. GeoNet duty volcanologist Agnes Mazot GeoNet sand the noises were probably came from gas and steam vents on the western side of the crater being drowned as the crater lake level rises.
But volcanic activity levels remained low, she said.
the crater lake was starting to reform and volcanic activity was low.
The loud sounds heard mid last month and again this week came from vents on the 2012 lava intrusion, the main source of gas and steam in the main crater.
In the past few weeks water has ponded on the crater floor, reforming the lake. Volcanic activity was confined to the gas-rich vents on the west side of the crater and hot, clear gas continues to be emitted, also at low levels, she said.
"The rising lake level and drowning of some gas-steam vents has occurred in the past and minor steam-driven activity has occurred near these vents," Mazot said.
