Halema‘uma‘u crater west vent area and island—July 19, 2022

Aerial view looking west across the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Kīlauea summit geology overflight on July 19, 2022. In the middle of the image, the island that formed during the early phases of the eruption that began the evening of December 20, 2020, is visible; behind it, the west vent area is visible as a series of jagged peaks emitting volcanic gas. On July 18, a sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate of approximately 1,700 tonnes per day (t/d) was measured. USGS image by J. Chang.