March 19, 2025 — Gas-piston cycles at the summit of Kīlauea

This video, captured on March 19, 2025, just prior to episode 14 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemʻamaʻu, shows gas-pistoning cycles in the north vent. The video has been sped up 100x, and about one hour is shown in 40 seconds. During these gas-piston events, lava rises within the north vent and emits only a faint, hazy gas plume. Once the lava has risen to the point of spilling lava out of the vent, it starts to spatter and more violently release the trapped gas, with a more obvious plume. Eventually, the lava drains down in the center of the vent, with the lava surface dropping and even more of a plume is visible as more gas escapes. USGS video.