Images

The part of the Overlook crater wall that collapsed is evident in the center of this photo by its white color.

Just after 10 AM this morning, the southeastern wall of the Overlook crater, in Halema‘uma‘u, collapsed and fell into the summit lava lake. This triggered a small explosive event that threw spatter bombs onto the rim of Halema‘uma‘u at the site of the tourist overlook, closed since 2008.

The lava fragments ejected ranged in size from dust-sized particles up to spatter bombs about 70 cm (~30 inches) across. The larger clasts - the bombs - dotted the ground around the tourist overlook and webcam, giving the area a look reminiscent of a cow pasture.

As has been seen with almost all previous explosive events at Halema‘uma‘u since 2008, the spatter that was ejected was coated in dust and filled with small lithic fragments - clear evidence of the involvement of lithic wall rock. The knife is 12 cm (4.5 in) long.

Spatter landed on wooden fencing laying on the ground at the closed tourist overlook, igniting it in a few places.

USGS hydrologist Craig Brown installs a sensor pipe for the SWaTH Network.

Spatter landed on wooden fencing laying on the ground at the closed tourist overlook, igniting it in a few places.

Tim Sargent, a hydrology tech at the New England Water Science Center, is checking to make sure that the bracket he installed is level.

Marinna Martini prepares to deploy a NIMBBLE from the R/V Connecticut south of Martha's Vineyard

Perhaps the most interesting feature in the new crater at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is the pit formed on the southern side of the crater floor. There, a small lava pond roughly 10 m (~30 ft) across has been sporadically overflowing and sending lava toward the deeper central part of the crater. View is to the south.

The front of the "June 27 breakout" flow, seen here as the silvery lava at lower right, is about 2.0 km (~1.2 miles) northeast from its vent (as measured in a straight line), and surrounds what little remains of Pu‘u Kahauale‘a, a forested cone several hundred years old. View is toward the southwest, and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is at upper right.

Map showing the "June 27 breakout" flow at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone. The area of the new flow as mapped on June 30 is shown in pink, while widening of the flow as July 18 is shown in red.

Since the onset of the "June 27 breakout" flow, the central part of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō's crater has been collapsing slowly. Thick fume and steam prevented good views, but this photo shows the edge of the ring fracture that bounds the collapse. The heavy fume comes from pits that formed where spatter cones used to be.

Perhaps the most interesting feature in the new crater at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is the pit formed on the southern side of the crater floor. There, a small lava pond roughly 10 m (~30 ft) across has been sporadically overflowing and sending lava toward the deeper central part of the crater. View is to the south.

The front of the "June 27 breakout" flow, seen here as the silvery lava at lower right, is about 2.0 km (~1.2 miles) northeast from its vent (as measured in a straight line), and surrounds what little remains of Pu‘u Kahauale‘a, a forested cone several hundred years old. View is toward the southwest, and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is at upper right.

Here is a closer view showing the beleaguered Pu‘u Kahauale‘a surrounded by active pāhoehoe flows. The view is to the northwest.

Since the onset of the "June 27 breakout" flow, the central part of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō's crater has been collapsing slowly. Thick fume and steam prevented good views, but this photo shows the edge of the ring fracture that bounds the collapse. The heavy fume comes from pits that formed where spatter cones used to be.

After the June 27 breakout started, a perched lava pond - looking something like a giant above-ground swimming pool - grew over the main vent. Notice the nearly flat upper surface of the now-inactive pond just above and to the left of center, and the relatively steep levee which contained the pond.

After the June 27 breakout started, a perched lava pond - looking something like a giant above-ground swimming pool - grew over the main vent. Notice the nearly flat upper surface of the now-inactive pond just above and to the left of center, and the relatively steep levee which contained the pond.

Here is steeper view of the inactive lava pond, just left of center. After it was abandoned, its surface crusted over and sagged to form a gentle bowl. Skylights and points of fume just right of center mark the trace of the new tube. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is at upper right. The view is toward the south-southeast.

Here is steeper view of the inactive lava pond, just left of center. After it was abandoned, its surface crusted over and sagged to form a gentle bowl. Skylights and points of fume just right of center mark the trace of the new tube. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is at upper right. The view is toward the south-southeast.