Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Images related to natural hazards.
View looking up Mauna Loa's spectacular Southwest Rift Zone. Pu‘u o Keokeo fills the lower half of the photo. The black lava beyond is mostly from 1916 and 1926. The summit of Mauna Loa is in the background.
View looking up Mauna Loa's spectacular Southwest Rift Zone. Pu‘u o Keokeo fills the lower half of the photo. The black lava beyond is mostly from 1916 and 1926. The summit of Mauna Loa is in the background.
Shield-volcano Mauna Kea viewed from the northern slope of Mauna Loa (cinder cones in the foreground) shows off its broad shield shape. The bumps on its profile are large cinder cones.
Shield-volcano Mauna Kea viewed from the northern slope of Mauna Loa (cinder cones in the foreground) shows off its broad shield shape. The bumps on its profile are large cinder cones.
The high point of Mauna Loa, in the background at an elevation of about 13,679 ft, is actually just the highest point along the rim of the steep cliffs that surround Mauna Loa's summit caldera, Moku‘āweoweo, Dark-colored lava flows of recent vintage (1984) cover the floor of Moku‘āweoweo. View is looking southwest.
The high point of Mauna Loa, in the background at an elevation of about 13,679 ft, is actually just the highest point along the rim of the steep cliffs that surround Mauna Loa's summit caldera, Moku‘āweoweo, Dark-colored lava flows of recent vintage (1984) cover the floor of Moku‘āweoweo. View is looking southwest.
This aerial view of Mauna Loa's summit shows the cinder-cone and lava flows that were erupted in 1949. The crack extending down the left side of the cone is the northeast-southwest trending 1984 fissure that bisected the southwest flank of the cone during the initial phase of the eruption. Light-brown tephra erupted from the 1949 cone thins to the west.
This aerial view of Mauna Loa's summit shows the cinder-cone and lava flows that were erupted in 1949. The crack extending down the left side of the cone is the northeast-southwest trending 1984 fissure that bisected the southwest flank of the cone during the initial phase of the eruption. Light-brown tephra erupted from the 1949 cone thins to the west.
A close-up of the spattering source on the floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. A small spatter rampart has formed along the east side of the vent.
A close-up of the spattering source on the floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. A small spatter rampart has formed along the east side of the vent.
The 1940 cone, just above center, pokes up above the otherwise relatively flat floor of Moku‘āweoweo - the summit caldera of Mauna Loa. Mauna Kea rises up in the background.
The 1940 cone, just above center, pokes up above the otherwise relatively flat floor of Moku‘āweoweo - the summit caldera of Mauna Loa. Mauna Kea rises up in the background.
Close-up of the 1949 cinder-and-spatter cone as seen from the floor of Moku‘āweoweo, Mauna Loa's summit caldera. pāhoehoe lava visible in the foreground (lower half of photo) was erupted in 1940. Beyond these flows, you can see pāhoehoe flows, spatter, and tephra erupted in 1949.
Close-up of the 1949 cinder-and-spatter cone as seen from the floor of Moku‘āweoweo, Mauna Loa's summit caldera. pāhoehoe lava visible in the foreground (lower half of photo) was erupted in 1940. Beyond these flows, you can see pāhoehoe flows, spatter, and tephra erupted in 1949.
Aerial view of Mauna Loa's upper northeast rift zone near the area where it intersects Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera. Pāhoehoe flows visible in the foreground were erupted in 1942. Distant steep cliffs (right background) are the west wall of the summit caldera.
Aerial view of Mauna Loa's upper northeast rift zone near the area where it intersects Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera. Pāhoehoe flows visible in the foreground were erupted in 1942. Distant steep cliffs (right background) are the west wall of the summit caldera.
View looking downslope at the various cones that dot Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. The edge of North Pit, on the north side of Moku‘āweoweo, is in the foreground.
View looking downslope at the various cones that dot Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. The edge of North Pit, on the north side of Moku‘āweoweo, is in the foreground.
Controlled burn at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Controlled burn at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
USGS employees deploys a water conductivity/temperature/depth probe (AquaTroll) for a temporary study along the Madison River, Yellowstone.
USGS employees deploys a water conductivity/temperature/depth probe (AquaTroll) for a temporary study along the Madison River, Yellowstone.
USGS scientists Todd Baumann and Errol Meche install a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientists Todd Baumann and Errol Meche install a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientists Todd Baumann and Errol Meche install a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientists Todd Baumann and Errol Meche install a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientist Errol Meche installs a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientist Errol Meche installs a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientists Todd Baumann and Errol Meche install a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
USGS scientists Todd Baumann and Errol Meche install a temporary streamgage to measure water levels above and below the the Morganza Spillway. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions. One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011.
One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions.
One floodgate on the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011. USGS streamflow information is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help them make informed flood management decisions.
Floodgates were opened on the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
Floodgates were opened on the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
USGS scientists take streamflow and water quality measurements downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
USGS scientists take streamflow and water quality measurements downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
Logs and other debris flow downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
Logs and other debris flow downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
USGS scientists take streamflow and water quality measurements downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
USGS scientists take streamflow and water quality measurements downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
USGS scientists take streamflow and water quality measurements downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.
USGS scientists take streamflow and water quality measurements downstream of the Bonnet Carre Spillway near Norco, La. The Army Corps of Engineers uses USGS streamflow data to help them manage flood control structures.