June 19, 2023 — Overview of Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake after eruptive pause

Just hours after the pause in the Kīlauea summit eruption on June 19, 2023, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater to check for any residual activity. They captured this photo of the inactive eruptive vent (lower left) and the cooling lava lake (right). Sections of thin crust on the lake surface were still foundering (overturning) at that time, thereby exposing molten, incandescent lava below, but this process will slow as the lake more thoroughly crusts over. USGS photo by M. Patrick.