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Hawaiian Volcano Observatory images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.
Mauna Loa, Earth's largest active volcano, has erupted 33 times since 1843, producing the lava flows shown in black. All of these historic eruptions started at the summit of the volcano. From there, the eruptions either stayed in the summit area or migrated down the volcano's Northeast or Southwest Rift Zones.
Mauna Loa, Earth's largest active volcano, has erupted 33 times since 1843, producing the lava flows shown in black. All of these historic eruptions started at the summit of the volcano. From there, the eruptions either stayed in the summit area or migrated down the volcano's Northeast or Southwest Rift Zones.
Mauna Loa tends to erupt large, fast-moving lava flows. About 36 hours after the 1984 eruption began on March 25, lava flowed downstream (toward bottom-right of photo) through this ‘A‘ā channel down rift from the main vent. For scale, note the USGS scientists at work on the left side of the 70-m- (77-yard-) wide lava channel.
Mauna Loa tends to erupt large, fast-moving lava flows. About 36 hours after the 1984 eruption began on March 25, lava flowed downstream (toward bottom-right of photo) through this ‘A‘ā channel down rift from the main vent. For scale, note the USGS scientists at work on the left side of the 70-m- (77-yard-) wide lava channel.
(Left) False-Color Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager scene of Saunders Island and Mount Michael on January 31, 2018. This image is composed from red and shortwave infrared light detected by the satellite sensors. Blue represents the high temperature ground surface that includes the lava lake.
(Left) False-Color Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager scene of Saunders Island and Mount Michael on January 31, 2018. This image is composed from red and shortwave infrared light detected by the satellite sensors. Blue represents the high temperature ground surface that includes the lava lake.
Early evening view of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano on January 30, 2018, when the lake level was 27 m (88 ft) below the crater floor. The bright yellow area of spattering marks the location where the circulating lava descends into the lake, thereby releasing gases trapped beneath the solid black crust on the lake surface.
Early evening view of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano on January 30, 2018, when the lake level was 27 m (88 ft) below the crater floor. The bright yellow area of spattering marks the location where the circulating lava descends into the lake, thereby releasing gases trapped beneath the solid black crust on the lake surface.
Earthquakes swarm beneath Kīlauea Volcano
Earthquakes swarm beneath Kīlauea Volcano
Kīlauea Volcano divided into lava-risk zones
Kīlauea Volcano divided into lava-risk zones
Kīlauea's not Hawaii's only active volcano
Kīlauea's not Hawaii's only active volcano
Episode 51 stops, 52 begins at Kīlauea Volcano
Episode 51 stops, 52 begins at Kīlauea Volcano
Kīlauea's episode 51 finally calls it quits
Kīlauea's episode 51 finally calls it quits
Kīlauea has busy week; new episode begins
Kīlauea has busy week; new episode begins
Quake starts Kīlauea off on a busy two weeks
Quake starts Kīlauea off on a busy two weeks
Kīlauea vents active but lava has slowed
Kīlauea vents active but lava has slowed
Mauna Loa poses most serious threat to South Kona
Mauna Loa poses most serious threat to South Kona
Missing visitor a tragic reminder of Kīlauea's danger
Missing visitor a tragic reminder of Kīlauea's danger
26 years since last Mauna Loa eruption
26 years since last Mauna Loa eruption
Kīlauea: a youngster among world's active volcanoes
Kīlauea: a youngster among world's active volcanoes
This video shows a rockfall and subsequent explosion that occurred at 7:03 a.m. HST today within the "Overlook crater" at the summit of Kīlauea. This collapse was followed by a smaller rockfall at 7:07 a.m. (not shown in video).
This video shows a rockfall and subsequent explosion that occurred at 7:03 a.m. HST today within the "Overlook crater" at the summit of Kīlauea. This collapse was followed by a smaller rockfall at 7:07 a.m. (not shown in video).
On January 8, 2018, Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake level was 38 m (125 ft) below the rim of "Overlook crater," the small crater that formed above the active vent in Halema‘uma‘u.
On January 8, 2018, Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake level was 38 m (125 ft) below the rim of "Overlook crater," the small crater that formed above the active vent in Halema‘uma‘u.
First high-definition thermal image of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake in the New Year, taken shortly after midnight on January 1, 2018. This camera was deployed to track the dynamic surface activity of the lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea.
First high-definition thermal image of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake in the New Year, taken shortly after midnight on January 1, 2018. This camera was deployed to track the dynamic surface activity of the lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea.
Example Hydrotherm output. Hydrotherm is a three-dimensional simulation of multiphase groundwater flow and heat transport in the temperature range of 0 to 1200 degrees Celsius and the pressure range of 1 to 1000 MPa.
Example Hydrotherm output. Hydrotherm is a three-dimensional simulation of multiphase groundwater flow and heat transport in the temperature range of 0 to 1200 degrees Celsius and the pressure range of 1 to 1000 MPa.
Boxes of historical seismograms (thousands of them!) in the basement of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in the summer of 2017. These records span over a century of earthquake monitoring in Hawaii. Dr. Thomas Jaggar installed the first seismometer in 1912, and paper records were used for recording into the 1990s.
Boxes of historical seismograms (thousands of them!) in the basement of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in the summer of 2017. These records span over a century of earthquake monitoring in Hawaii. Dr. Thomas Jaggar installed the first seismometer in 1912, and paper records were used for recording into the 1990s.