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Aerial views of Halema‘uma‘u 'overlook' vent lava lake.
Aerial views of Halema‘uma‘u 'overlook' vent lava lake
The lava lake at Kīlauea's summit remains high, probably 45-50 m (150-165 ft) below the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater. This view, looking toward the southwest, shows the lava ledge on the rarely seen southern side of the pit. The spattering is at the point where the circulating lava lake sinks back down. The overhang on the north side of the pit (to the right) is also more apparent from this perspective. The lava lake extends back under the overhang ~40 m (130 ft)—a distance about even with the right edge of the photo.
A closer view of the spattering at the point of downwelling. From the position of the Halema‘uma‘u webcam at the visitor overlook, the spattering looks like it might be at the base of the crater wall. This photo shows that the spattering is actually 60-70 m (200-230 ft) out from the wall, toward the center of the pit.
Views of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava lake and the lava stream in the tube
The small lava lake in the pit on the northeastern side of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor remains active as well. Lava rises at the right side of the lake (west) and sinks where the heavy fume is rising at the left side (east).
Lava erupting from a vent on the northeast flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō travels through tubes to the coastal plain, where surface flows are currently active. Holes in the roof of the lava tube, called skylights, reveal the lava stream contained within. This photo shows the brightly incandescent orange-yellow lava stream as it travels from right to left and drops over a steeper incline. The roof of the tube is equally bright, and the slightly darker triangular-shaped feature at the center of the photo in the background is the gap between the lava stream and the roof (see the accompanying movie).
Video taken during today's helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u, showing the active lava lake at a very high level (described in more detail in the caption above). Vigorous spattering on the lake margin emits a thick plume of gas.
Video, taken from the east rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, showing the small lava lake that is active in the northeast portion of the crater floor. Unsteady gas escape along the lake margins drives low-level spattering and undulations of the lake surface.
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