Kīlauea's eruption building perched lava channel

Close view of the perched lava channel that is being built higher and higher above the surrounding ground as lava overflows the sides of the channel to form relatively short flows. The short pahoehoe flows are covering the early lava that was erupted from the developing channel (dark flows, middle right) and older flows erupted from Pu`u `O`o during 1983-1986 (brown, lower right). Kupaianaha shield, erupted between 1986 and 1992, is visible at top left; the shield is 56 m (185 feet) high. USGS photograph, Tim Orr.