October 22, 2026—Lava sampling of Halema‘uma‘u crater floor

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects cooled lava samples from episode 55 lava flows on the Halema‘uma‘u crater floor. During a helicopter overflight, HVO scientists landed on the crater floor to collect samples from an episode 55 lava channel for chemical analysis. Episode 55 occurred on October 17 and lasted for about 6 hours with maximum fountain heights from the north vent reaching about 720 feet (220 meters). USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither on October 22, 2026.