Pele's hair at Kīlauea summit—August 12, 2021

Small amounts of Pele's hair, likely from the 2008–2018 Kīlauea summit lava lake, have accumulated in cracks and crevices on the floor of Kīlauea caldera. Pele's hair forms when lava becomes stretched, forming these long and thin strands of volcanic glass. This photo was taken in the eastern part of Kīlauea caldera, in an area that did not collapse in 2018. USGS photo by K. Mulliken on August 12, 2021.