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December 9, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption reference map

December 9, 2021
Media
Kīlauea summit eruption reference map, December 9, 2021
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on December 8, 2021. One eruptive vent is active within Halema‘uma‘u at this time, along the western edge of the lava lake. After a recent eruptive pause, renewed lava effusion from the vent has reactivated the western end of the lava lake within essentially the same footprint as before the pause. The eastern end remains stagnant and solidified at the surface, though occasional ooze-outs around the edges serve as evidence of molten lava below the surface. Some of these ooze-outs have overflowed onto the lowest remaining down-dropped block from the 2018 collapse event within the summit caldera. This map depicts contour elevations in feet, with the surface of the active lava lake now at approximately 2,654 ft (809 m) above sea level. At this time, active lava is visible from two public visitor overlooks in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: a site along the trail between Kīlauea Overlook and Uēkahuna can see the southeastern edge of the lava lake, and a section of the Keanakāko‘i Overlook can see the eruptive vent. Visit the park eruption page for more info: https://go.nps.gov/new-eruption.
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