Images

HVO geologists made a routine visit to check on equipment at the summit of Kīlauea today, and had clear views across the floor of Halema‘uma‘u. The central portion of this photo is the region where much of the lava lake activity has occurred over the previous few years, with the area now showing only wispy plumes of weak gas emission.

This photo shows the eastern portion of Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The circular area of yellow coloration, near the top of the photo, is spot where the first lava fountain emerged in the September 2023 eruption. In the lower portion of the photo, the remains of Crater Rim Drive and the Halema‘uma‘u parking lot are visible.

A close-up of the central portion of the floor of Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The small mound is the remaining portion of the island (or raft) of material formed in the early stages of the first crater-filling eruption in December 2020. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

To conduct the Hualālai campaign survey, HVO staff requested permission from land managers before navigating to benchmarks cemented into the ground surface. Data collected at each location will together provide a picture of how the ground surface of Hualālai volcano has changed since the previous survey in 2015.

The HVO geodetic network manager sets up a campaign GPS unit at station KIPA on Kipahe'e crater (elevation 2331 m or 7647 ft) of Hualālai. USGS photo by A. Flinders.

HVO chief field engineer sets up a campaign GPS GNSS unit at station KEHU on Ka'upulehu crater as part of the ongoing Hualālai survey.

During March of 2024, HVO is conducting a GPS survey of Hualālai volcano. This survey, usually done every three years, hasn't been conducted since 2015 due to eruptions at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, the pandemic, and staff/personnel rotations.

At each location of the Hualālai campaign survey, a GPS unit is placed on a levelled tripod centered over a benchmark on the ground surface (pictured here at station KIPA on Kipahe'e crater). The precise location of the GPS is recorded by the receiver, housed in the yellow box.

Regular station maintenance is vital for keeping the HVO monitoring network healthy. Here, weed eating ensures the site won't get overgrown, potentially blocking the solar array. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

The new MSPwebcam can be remotely controlled at the observatory to zoom in on an area of interest on the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. This photo looks north and shows the upper portion of Ocean View Estates. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

An HVO physical science technician installs a new webcam near South Point, looking north to monitor any future activity on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u, a crater within Kaluapele, the summit caldera of Kīlauea. Most of the crater has been filled in by lava erupted since 2020. The flanks of Mauna Loa are visible in the background of this southeast-facing view. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

An aerial view of the Twin Pit Craters near Maunaiki trail in the Ka‘ū Desert of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

An aerial view of Mauna Loa, taken from the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight on February 6, 2024. USGS photo by H. Winslow.

HVO geologists conducted an overflight of Halema‘uma‘u, Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera), the Koa‘e fault system, and the upper Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea on February 6, 2024. This aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u shows the fumarolic areas marked by white alteration that have developed on the lava flows that make up the floor of Halema‘uma‘u. USGS photo by H.

Pu‘ukoa‘e, on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea, is prominent in this aerial photo taken on February 6, 2024. The slopes of Mauna Loa and the Nīnole Hills are visible in the background. USGS photo by H. Winslow.

This aerial photo shows some of the new cracks that developed as a result of the recent intrusion southwest of Kīlauea's summit.

This photo shows where some recent cracks cut across the Maunaiki trail within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as a result of the intrusive activity southwest of Kīlauea summit. On the trail, the cracks are less distinct because of foot traffic has moved the tephra around and started to fill in the cracks. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

On February 3, 2024, a team of HVO scientists documented new ground cracks along the Maunaiki Trail in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, caused by the recent intrusion southwest of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera). These cracks primarily cut the loose Keanakāko‘i tephra which blanketed the region in 1790 CE. Some cracks were over 100 feet (30 meters) long.

This photo shows a crack in spatter and lava previously erupted on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea, with a geologist for scale. The crack likely widened during the recent intrusion southwest of the summit of Kīlauea.

On February 3, 2024, a team of HVO scientists documented new ground cracks caused by the intrusion at Kīlauea southwest of the summit caldera. These cracks were observed along the Maunaiki Trail in the Ka‘ū Desert region of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by N. Deligne.