Halema'uma'u Vent Gas Plume

Over the past several days, the lava surface within the vent in Halema'uma'u has occasionally, and temporarily, reached to within about 115 m (375 ft) below the floor of Halema'uma'u Crater, as seen in this photo. During these high-lava stands, the gas plume is generally fairly wispy, providing the rare naked-eye view of the lava surface. The far (north) side of the vent is still profoundly overhung. Rocks that fall from the rim of the vent at the top of the image strike the lava lake out of sight of the camera below the vent rim at the bottom of the image.