Aerial overview of Kīlauea summit tephra deposit

On Friday, March 14, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists on a morning helicopter overflight captured aerial photography to map tephra deposits downwind (southwest) of vents from the Kīlauea summit eruption that began December 23, 2024. This oblique view to the north provides an overview of the tephra deposit, visible as a darker brown streak running across the terrain from right to left (near center of image), spanning about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) in this view. Part of the closed portion of Crater Rim Drive in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is visible near the right edge of the frame, with Halema‘uma‘u crater just out of view to the upper right. Although eruptive activity is currently paused, a plume of volcanic gas emissions (concentrated in the upper right) continues from the vents. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.