Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

Images related to natural hazards.

Filter Total Items: 7266
Map of post-1823 lava flows erupted from Mauna Loa (gray) and numbe...
Map of post-1823 lava flows erupted from Mauna Loa (gray) and numbe...
Map of post-1823 lava flows erupted from Mauna Loa (gray) and numbe...
Map of post-1823 lava flows erupted from Mauna Loa (gray) and numbe...

Slope map of Mauna Loa, including lava flows erupted since 1823 (gray), showing the approximate number of hours or days it took for a flow to advance from the vent location to the ocean or maximum reach of a flow. One flow that moved down the steep slopes on west flank of Mauna Loa reached the ocean in as little as 3 hours after the vent started erupting in 1950.

Slope map of Mauna Loa, including lava flows erupted since 1823 (gray), showing the approximate number of hours or days it took for a flow to advance from the vent location to the ocean or maximum reach of a flow. One flow that moved down the steep slopes on west flank of Mauna Loa reached the ocean in as little as 3 hours after the vent started erupting in 1950.

Pyroclastic flow (dense darker grey billowing mass) travels down sl...
Pyroclastic flow (dense darker grey billowing mass) travels down sl...
Pyroclastic flow (dense darker grey billowing mass) travels down sl...
Pyroclastic flow (dense darker grey billowing mass) travels down sl...

Pyroclastic flow (dense darker grey billowing mass) travels down slope of Mayon volcano, Philippines while ash column rises from the vent. Dilute, lighter-colored ash billows off leading edge.

Map of Island of Hawai‘i showing hazard zones from ground fractures...
Map of Island of Hawai‘i showing hazard zones from ground fractures...
Map of Island of Hawai‘i showing hazard zones from ground fractures...
Map of Island of Hawai‘i showing hazard zones from ground fractures...

Map of hazard zones for ground fractures and "small-scale" subsidence for the Island of Hawai‘i. Subsidence and fracturing events are frequent in zone 1, which covers the summit and rift zones of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, but are somewhat less frequent in zone 2, on the south flank of Kīlauea.

Map of hazard zones for ground fractures and "small-scale" subsidence for the Island of Hawai‘i. Subsidence and fracturing events are frequent in zone 1, which covers the summit and rift zones of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, but are somewhat less frequent in zone 2, on the south flank of Kīlauea.

The origin of Nīnole Hills (location shown with orange oval, southe...
The origin of Nīnole Hills (location shown with orange oval, SEern ...
The origin of Nīnole Hills (location shown with orange oval, SEern ...
The origin of Nīnole Hills (location shown with orange oval, SEern ...

The older or original suggested location of this rift is shown with a blue dashed line. Black arrows show one possibility for the westward migration of the Nīnole Hills rift to the location of Mauna Loa's current Southwest Rift Zone (yellow dashed line). The South Kona Slump and ‘Ālika-1 and ‘Ālika-2 landslides are shown off the west coast of the island.

The older or original suggested location of this rift is shown with a blue dashed line. Black arrows show one possibility for the westward migration of the Nīnole Hills rift to the location of Mauna Loa's current Southwest Rift Zone (yellow dashed line). The South Kona Slump and ‘Ālika-1 and ‘Ālika-2 landslides are shown off the west coast of the island.

Aerial view of Haleakalā Crater northward to Ko‘olau Gap. Sharp ri...
Haleakalā Crater northward to Ko‘olau Gap. Sharp rimmed crater in ...
Haleakalā Crater northward to Ko‘olau Gap. Sharp rimmed crater in ...
Haleakalā Crater northward to Ko‘olau Gap. Sharp rimmed crater in ...

Aerial view of Haleakalā Crater northward to Ko‘olau Gap. Sharp rimmed crater in near ground is Ka Lu‘u o ka ‘Ō‘ō.

CGPS-SPGPS Comparison...
CGPS-SPGPS Comparison
CGPS-SPGPS Comparison
CGPS-SPGPS Comparison

Top panel shows a continuous GPS station located in Yellowstone National Park. The antenna is secured to the ground by several metal poles, and a nearby set of solar panels provides power to the station. Lower panel shows a semipermanent GPS station, with a small solar array for power and an antenna located close to the ground.

Top panel shows a continuous GPS station located in Yellowstone National Park. The antenna is secured to the ground by several metal poles, and a nearby set of solar panels provides power to the station. Lower panel shows a semipermanent GPS station, with a small solar array for power and an antenna located close to the ground.

Researchers generate a bathymetric contour map of Castle Lake, near...
A bathymetric contour map of Castle Lake, Mount St. Helens.
A bathymetric contour map of Castle Lake, Mount St. Helens.
A bathymetric contour map of Castle Lake, Mount St. Helens.

Researchers map the bottom of Castle Lake, near Mount St. Helens. For three days, researchers ran a small boat over the lake surface equipped with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The ADCP bounces an acoustic wave off the bottom that is reflected back to a mobile receiver in the boat.

Researchers map the bottom of Castle Lake, near Mount St. Helens. For three days, researchers ran a small boat over the lake surface equipped with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The ADCP bounces an acoustic wave off the bottom that is reflected back to a mobile receiver in the boat.

Sherman Crater, Mount Baker, Washington. Postcard photograph taken ...
Sherman Crater, Mount Baker, WA. Postcard photograph taken from sou...
Sherman Crater, Mount Baker, WA. Postcard photograph taken from sou...
Baker Lake shorelines were closed during 1975 increase in Mount Bak...
Baker Lake shorelines were closed during 1975 increase in Mount Bak...
Baker Lake shorelines were closed during 1975 increase in Mount Bak...
Baker Lake shorelines were closed during 1975 increase in Mount Bak...

This notice was posted at campgrounds around Baker Lake by the US Forest Service in June 1975. Normally, Baker Reservoir approaches capacity during mid-summer. At most other times, reservoir levels are low enough to impound lahars the size of those that occurred in 1843.

This notice was posted at campgrounds around Baker Lake by the US Forest Service in June 1975. Normally, Baker Reservoir approaches capacity during mid-summer. At most other times, reservoir levels are low enough to impound lahars the size of those that occurred in 1843.

Boulder Creek leading from Mount Baker, Washington is a hydrology m...
Boulder Creek leading from Mount Baker, WA is a hydrology monitorin...
Boulder Creek leading from Mount Baker, WA is a hydrology monitorin...
Boulder Creek leading from Mount Baker, WA is a hydrology monitorin...

Boulder Creek leading from Mount Baker, Washington is a hydrology monitoring site where water is collected and measured for chemicals that may signal volcanic unrest.

Lahar deposit cross section in the Trout Lake lowland, which origin...
Lahar deposit cross section in the Trout Lake lowland, which origin...
Lahar deposit cross section in the Trout Lake lowland, which origin...
Lahar deposit cross section in the Trout Lake lowland, which origin...

Lahar deposit cross section in the Trout Lake lowland, which originated from Mount Adams. Thickness of deposit is about 2.5 m (8 ft).

North Sister's steep northeast face, thick summit lava flow makes u...
North Sister's steep NE face, thick summit lava flow makes up "Glis...
North Sister's steep NE face, thick summit lava flow makes up "Glis...
North Sister's steep NE face, thick summit lava flow makes up "Glis...

Remnant of Villard Glacier is in cirque below. Thick summit lava flow makes up "Glisan Pinnacle," which overlies hundreds of thin rubbly lava flows that are intercalated with red-oxidized agglutinate and scoria falls exposed on 800-m- (2600-ft-) high face below. Flows that form ridge at upper right are thicker than those on most of edifice.

Remnant of Villard Glacier is in cirque below. Thick summit lava flow makes up "Glisan Pinnacle," which overlies hundreds of thin rubbly lava flows that are intercalated with red-oxidized agglutinate and scoria falls exposed on 800-m- (2600-ft-) high face below. Flows that form ridge at upper right are thicker than those on most of edifice.

Dome building episode from 2004-2008 at Mount St. Helens can be obs...
Dome building episode from 2004-2008 at Mount St. Helens can be obs...
Dome building episode from 2004-2008 at Mount St. Helens can be obs...
Dome building episode from 2004-2008 at Mount St. Helens can be obs...

Dome building episode from 2004-2008 at Mount St. Helens can be observed and measured with these two digital elevation models (DEMs) developed before and after the eruptive episode.

Volcanic mudflows (lahars and debris flows) occur more commonly aft...
Volcanic mudflows (lahars and debris flows) occur more commonly aft...
Volcanic mudflows (lahars and debris flows) occur more commonly aft...
Volcanic mudflows (lahars and debris flows) occur more commonly aft...

Volcanic mudflows (lahars and debris flows) occur more commonly after a landscape has been covered by loose volcanic material. Sign on the slopes of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

Children pose with 8 ton ballistic block at Kīlauea volcano, Hawai‘...
Children pose with 8 ton ballistic block at Kīlauea, Hawai‘i.
Children pose with 8 ton ballistic block at Kīlauea, Hawai‘i.
Children pose with 8 ton ballistic block at Kīlauea, Hawai‘i.

Some of the large ballistic blocks from the Kīlauea eruption of 1924 later became visitor attractions. Many of these blocks remain in place today as evidence of the forces unleashed at Kīlauea during the eruption of 1924.

Some of the large ballistic blocks from the Kīlauea eruption of 1924 later became visitor attractions. Many of these blocks remain in place today as evidence of the forces unleashed at Kīlauea during the eruption of 1924.

Automated sulfur dioxide gas measuring site using ultraviolet camer...
Automated sulfur dioxide gas measuring site using ultraviolet camer...
Automated sulfur dioxide gas measuring site using ultraviolet camer...
Automated sulfur dioxide gas measuring site using ultraviolet camer...

Top: Photograph of the SO2 camera installation when scientists tested the radio link to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). The camera is aimed at the plume emitting from the Overlook Crater, about 1.4 km away. Under typical trade wind conditions, the plume is blown to the southwest, thus moving from right to left in the imagery.

Top: Photograph of the SO2 camera installation when scientists tested the radio link to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). The camera is aimed at the plume emitting from the Overlook Crater, about 1.4 km away. Under typical trade wind conditions, the plume is blown to the southwest, thus moving from right to left in the imagery.

Seismic station locations (red triangles) on the Island of Hawai‘i ...
Seismic station locations (red triangles) on the Island of Hawai‘i ...
Seismic station locations (red triangles) on the Island of Hawai‘i ...
Earthquakes near the Island of Hawai‘i between 1970-2006 with magni...
Quakes near Hawai‘i between 1970-2006 with mag greater than 2.6
Quakes near Hawai‘i between 1970-2006 with mag greater than 2.6
Quakes near Hawai‘i between 1970-2006 with mag greater than 2.6

Earthquakes near the Island of Hawai‘i between 1970-2006 with magnitude greater than 2.5. A (top left): locations of shallow earthquakes 0-22 km (0-14 mi) depth. B (top right): locations of deep earthquakes 22-55 km depth (14-34 mi). Bottom (C): cross section showing the depths of earthquakes in the rectangle in figure B.

Earthquakes near the Island of Hawai‘i between 1970-2006 with magnitude greater than 2.5. A (top left): locations of shallow earthquakes 0-22 km (0-14 mi) depth. B (top right): locations of deep earthquakes 22-55 km depth (14-34 mi). Bottom (C): cross section showing the depths of earthquakes in the rectangle in figure B.

Was this page helpful?