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Images

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.

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Lava spattering from a cone
Kīlauea Volcano — Spatter Cone (Fissure 8)
Kīlauea Volcano — Spatter Cone (Fissure 8)
Kīlauea Volcano — Spatter Cone (Fissure 8)

The spatter cone at fissure 8 is now about 55 m (180 ft) tall. Lava fountains rise only occasionally above that point, sending a shower of 

subsidence shown as an animation
Kīlauea Volcano — Animated GIF of Crater Subsidence
Kīlauea Volcano — Animated GIF of Crater Subsidence
Kīlauea Volcano — Animated GIF of Crater Subsidence

This animated GIF shows a timelapse sequence consisting of one image per day between June 13 and 24. The photos were taken from the southern caldera rim, near Keanakāko‘i Crater, and look north towards HVO and Jaggar Museum.

This animated GIF shows a timelapse sequence consisting of one image per day between June 13 and 24. The photos were taken from the southern caldera rim, near Keanakāko‘i Crater, and look north towards HVO and Jaggar Museum.

Lava flowing across the landscape
Kīlauea Volcano — Lava Flows from Fissure 8
Kīlauea Volcano — Lava Flows from Fissure 8
Kīlauea Volcano — Lava Flows from Fissure 8

View to the southwest, looking "up" the lava channel. Lava flows from Fissure 8 (not pictured) through the open channel about 13 km (8 mi) to the ocean. Lava remains incandescent (glowing orange) along the entire length of the channel with sections of cooled lava (black) on the surface.

View to the southwest, looking "up" the lava channel. Lava flows from Fissure 8 (not pictured) through the open channel about 13 km (8 mi) to the ocean. Lava remains incandescent (glowing orange) along the entire length of the channel with sections of cooled lava (black) on the surface.

Lava fountain with lava flow
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Fountain
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Fountain
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Fountain

At fissure 8, fountains provide a vigorous supply of lava that exits the cinder cone and drops over a spillway to enter a well-established lava channel that extends to the sea.

At fissure 8, fountains provide a vigorous supply of lava that exits the cinder cone and drops over a spillway to enter a well-established lava channel that extends to the sea.

Small plume cloud from a crater
Kīlauea Volcano — Small Halema`uma`u Eruption (June 24, 2018)
Kīlauea Volcano — Small Halema`uma`u Eruption (June 24, 2018)
Kīlauea Volcano — Small Halema`uma`u Eruption (June 24, 2018)

On June 24 a small ash-poor steam plume rose above the Halema‘uma‘u crater rim following another collapse explosion event at 4:12 p.m. HST (image taken at 4:27 p.m.).

Kīlauea summit subsides and produces frequent earthquakes...
Kīlauea summit subsides and produces frequent earthquakes
Kīlauea summit subsides and produces frequent earthquakes
Kīlauea summit subsides and produces frequent earthquakes

On June 23, 2018 at 4:32 p.m. HST after approximately 17 hours of elevated seismicity, a collapse explosion occurred at the summit if Kīlauea. The energy released by the event was equivalent to a magnitude 5.3 earthquake.

On June 23, 2018 at 4:32 p.m. HST after approximately 17 hours of elevated seismicity, a collapse explosion occurred at the summit if Kīlauea. The energy released by the event was equivalent to a magnitude 5.3 earthquake.

Crater view
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema`uma`u Crater Collapse (June 23, 2018)
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema`uma`u Crater Collapse (June 23, 2018)
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema`uma`u Crater Collapse (June 23, 2018)

On June 23, 2018 at 4:32 p.m. HST after approximately 17 hours of elevated seismicity, a collapse explosion occurred at the summit if Kīlauea. The energy released by the event was equivalent to a magnitude 5.3 earthquake.

On June 23, 2018 at 4:32 p.m. HST after approximately 17 hours of elevated seismicity, a collapse explosion occurred at the summit if Kīlauea. The energy released by the event was equivalent to a magnitude 5.3 earthquake.

Kīlauea fissure 8 lava channel transports "lava boats"...
Kīlauea fissure 8 lava channel transports "lava boats"
Kīlauea fissure 8 lava channel transports "lava boats"
Kīlauea fissure 8 lava channel transports "lava boats"

Geologists captured this time-lapse video of the perched lava channel issuing from fissure 8 on Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone.

View of Halema`uma`u crater
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema‘uma‘u Crater
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema‘uma‘u Crater
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema‘uma‘u Crater

Halema'uma'u crater at 8:30 a.m., view is toward the south. Several benches are clearly visible within the crater.

Lava fountaining with lava channel flowing away
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Lava Fountain
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Lava Fountain
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Lava Fountain

Lava continues to erupt at a high rate from Fissure 8 and flow within the established channel to the ocean. No channel overflows were observed during this morning's overflight.

Lava continues to erupt at a high rate from Fissure 8 and flow within the established channel to the ocean. No channel overflows were observed during this morning's overflight.

Mauna Loa Back to Normal...
Mauna Loa Back to Normal
Mauna Loa Back to Normal
Mauna Loa Back to Normal

View of cinder cones in the Northeast Rift Zone near the summit of Mauna Loa. View to the north-northeast with Mauna Kea in the background. Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, most recently erupting in 1975 and 1984. Photo credit: Matt Patrick, USGS

View of cinder cones in the Northeast Rift Zone near the summit of Mauna Loa. View to the north-northeast with Mauna Kea in the background. Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, most recently erupting in 1975 and 1984. Photo credit: Matt Patrick, USGS

View of the crater
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema‘uma‘u Crater Continues Enlarging
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema‘uma‘u Crater Continues Enlarging
Kīlauea Volcano — Halema‘uma‘u Crater Continues Enlarging

The USGS UAS (unoccupied aircraft system) team took this photograph of Halema‘uma‘u Crater from the Kīlauea Overlook on this morning. They are preparing for a flight to map further subsidence at the summit.

The USGS UAS (unoccupied aircraft system) team took this photograph of Halema‘uma‘u Crater from the Kīlauea Overlook on this morning. They are preparing for a flight to map further subsidence at the summit.

Fissure with lava going into a lava channel
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Lava Channel
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Lava Channel
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Lava Channel

Fissure 8 continues building a tephra cone and producing a robust channelized lava flow on Kīlauea Volcano's Lower East Rift Zone.

Aerial of lava channel
Kīlauea Volcano — Wide Lava Channel
Kīlauea Volcano — Wide Lava Channel
Kīlauea Volcano — Wide Lava Channel

At a wide point in the channelized lava flow, a ropy crust has formed over the more fluid lava below.

Aerial of ocean entries
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 and Ocean Entries
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 and Ocean Entries
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 and Ocean Entries

Early morning view of the ocean entry. The lava fountain from fissure 8 is visible behind the laze plume rising from the entry point. The open lava flowchannel is visible just beyond the solidified darker flows in the foreground.

Early morning view of the ocean entry. The lava fountain from fissure 8 is visible behind the laze plume rising from the entry point. The open lava flowchannel is visible just beyond the solidified darker flows in the foreground.

Aerial view of lava channels
Kīlauea Volcano — Lava Channel from Fissure 8
Kīlauea Volcano — Lava Channel from Fissure 8
Kīlauea Volcano — Lava Channel from Fissure 8

Lava from fissure 8 travels about 13 km (8 mi) to the ocean in an open channel. Lava remains incandescent (glowing orange) throughout its journey. The ocean entry is at upper right.

Lava from fissure 8 travels about 13 km (8 mi) to the ocean in an open channel. Lava remains incandescent (glowing orange) throughout its journey. The ocean entry is at upper right.

Laze plume from ocean entry
Kīlauea Volcano — Multiple Laze Plumes
Kīlauea Volcano — Multiple Laze Plumes
Kīlauea Volcano — Multiple Laze Plumes

Small streams of lava enter the ocean across a broad area, shown by the multiple white steam and laze plumes. Lava has added about 380 acres of new land into the sea.

Small streams of lava enter the ocean across a broad area, shown by the multiple white steam and laze plumes. Lava has added about 380 acres of new land into the sea.

Close up view of pāhoehoe
Kīlauea Volcano — Sluggish Pāhoehoe
Kīlauea Volcano — Sluggish Pāhoehoe
Kīlauea Volcano — Sluggish Pāhoehoe

Sluggish pāhoehoe briefly spills over a section the levee along the well-established lava channel. Such overflows generally travel short distances measured in meters (yards).

Sluggish pāhoehoe briefly spills over a section the levee along the well-established lava channel. Such overflows generally travel short distances measured in meters (yards).

GPS monitoring station on the caldera floor
Kīlauea Volcano — GPS Station
Kīlauea Volcano — GPS Station
Kīlauea Volcano — GPS Station

A temporary GPS station (with radio telemetry for continuous measurement) was installed this week on the Kīlauea caldera floor to track the ongoing subsidence of the summit area. The data will help to characterize the extent and rate of the subsidence.

A temporary GPS station (with radio telemetry for continuous measurement) was installed this week on the Kīlauea caldera floor to track the ongoing subsidence of the summit area. The data will help to characterize the extent and rate of the subsidence.

A geologist points a thermal camera at a fissure to take a temperature reading
Kīlauea Volcano — Temperature Readings
Kīlauea Volcano — Temperature Readings
Kīlauea Volcano — Temperature Readings

HVO geologist measures 260 degrees C (500 degrees F) along ground cracks near fissure 10 in Leilani Estates. Geologists routinely make temperature measurements to track changes throughout the fissure complex in the lower East Rift Zone.

HVO geologist measures 260 degrees C (500 degrees F) along ground cracks near fissure 10 in Leilani Estates. Geologists routinely make temperature measurements to track changes throughout the fissure complex in the lower East Rift Zone.

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