Images

A telephoto view looking down on the fissure vent in the talus pile in the southwest corner of Halema‘uma‘u crater, taken from the western crater rim. Over the past 24 hours, this fissure vent has built up a spatter cone and spatter ramparts around its lava flow that cascades down to the crater floor.

View from the west rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater, showing the new lava flows that have covered the crater floor since the morning of June 7, 2023. This photograph, taken the morning of June 8, 2023, shows several active fissure vents that are feeding lava flows that cover the floor of the crater.

HVO scientists collect detailed data to assess hazards and understand how the eruption is evolving at Kīlauea's summit, all of which are shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers. Access to this hazardous area is by permission from, and in coordination with, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

HVO scientists monitor the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption from within an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public for safety reasons. They are equipped with a range of specialized safety gear and personal protective equipment such as gas masks, helmets, gloves, and eye protection.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists scouted the perimeter of Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor for a location to sample lava erupted by new vents that opened the morning of June 7, 2023. Initial lava flows inundated the crater floor (an area of approximately 1.5 square km or 370 acres) and added about 10 meters (32 feet) depth of new lava.

A summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, began at approximately 4:44 a.m. on June 7, 2023. Lava is flowing on the crater floor and there are several active vent sources. The eruption at Kīlauea’s summit is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern.

A summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, began at approximately 4:44 a.m. on June 7, 2023. Lava is flowing on the crater floor and there are several active vent sources. The eruption at Kīlauea’s summit is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern.

HVO scientists monitor the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption from within an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public for safety reasons. They are equipped with a range of specialized safety gear and personal protective equipment such as gas masks, helmets, gloves, and eye protection.

As of 9:30 a.m., multiple vents remain active in the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea summit. Most vents are on the crater floor; however, one fissure is in the southwest wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. This fissure is located about 30 meters (100 feet) above the lava lake surface and is approximately 20-25 meters (65-80 feet) long. 

Lava that is less than one day old drapes over lava from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries on Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor. By the time Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists arrived, this lava at the perimeter of Halemaʻumaʻu was solid but still warm to touch, having erupted earlier that day. Photo taken the afternoon of June 7, 2023, by K.

A helicopter overflight on June 7, 2023, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. The overflight happened about two hours after the start of the new eruption at the summit, and eruptive activity consisted of lava fountaining and lava lake activity.

Lava fountaining from a fissure that cut across the southwest wall of Halema‘uma‘u on June 7, 2023, had built up a small cone structure by mid-day. The fissure was intermittently obscured by plumes of volcanic gases throughout the day. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

Aerial view shows multiple active vent sources and lava flooding the crater floor. 

A view across the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor, at one of the new vents that began erupting on June 7, 2023. Fountain heights have decreased since the eruption onset and, as of approximately 3 p.m., were about 4-9 meters (13-30 feet) high. The new eruption is confined to Kīlauea summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

A helicopter overflight on June 7, 2023, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. The overflight happened about two hours after the start of the new eruption at the summit, and eruptive activity consisted of lava fountaining and lava lake activity.

A telephoto view of the locus of four lava fountains in the southern part of Halema‘uma‘u's active lava lake during the mid-afternoon of June 7, 2023. These fountains were approximately 4-9 meters (13-30 feet) high throughout the afternoon, with occasional bursts that were higher. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

A summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, began at approximately 4:44 a.m. on June 7, 2023. Lava is flowing on the crater floor and there are several active vent sources. The eruption at Kīlauea’s summit is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern.

A close-up view of the fissure vent in the southwest wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. As of 9:30 a.m., multiple vents remain active in the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea summit.

A telephoto view of a lava fountain in the east side of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u. This photo was taken during a helicopter overflight over 8 hours after the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u started on June 7, 2023. Fountain heights had already decreased from the early stages of the eruption.

A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist makes measurements of the rising active lava lake using a laser rangefinder mid-day on June 7, 2023.

In the early evening on June 7, 2023, the fissure in the southwest wall of Halema‘uma‘u had built up walls of spatter around the fountain. The fissure was continuing to pour lava down the talus slope into the active lava lake below. USGS photo by K. Lynn.