April 21, 2023 — Geologists survey exposed lavas and tephra in the wall of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera)

Three orange-clad geologists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory can be seen in this image (in orange, near center of image). During a visit to Halema‘uma‘u crater the morning of April 21, 2023, the geologists collected tephra samples from the Uēkahuna bluff along the northern wall of Kīlauea's summit caldera. Kīlauea has a history of explosive eruptions—the evidence for these events is contained within the many layers exposed along this part of the volcano. USGS image by L. Gallant.