An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
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.
Channeled breakout spreading into fan just short of coastline on eastern Banana lava delta. Total length of breakout, about 50 m. This is different breakout than than shown in rest of images today; it was dead an hour later.
West (left) and east branches of blue-fume breakout, descending old sea cliff present before Wilipe`a lava delta (foreground) formed 1.5-2 yr ago. Note colored western sky at dawn.
Foreground shows slabby flow in west branch breakout. Background shows cascade of lava in east branch of breakout descending pre-Wilipe`a sea cliff. People give scale.
Front of same branch 25 minutes later. It has now moved some 30-40 m and is descending the slope separating Wilipe`a lava delta from active eastern Banana delta. Surface between flow and water is on eastern Banana delta.
East branch of blue-fume breakout, showing channeled nature below pre-Wilipe`a sea cliff. Image taken from top of that old sea cliff, near point where lava descends to Wilipe`a delta.
Looking at roiling lava as it picks up speed and falls down pre-Wilipe`a sea cliff. Lava is in small tube at very top of cliff. Small skylight afforded this view--too hot to worry about photographic niceties.