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Hawaiian Volcano Observatory images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.
A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientist works on installing a newly calibrated Multi-Gas instrument at the Sulfur Cone gas monitoring site high up on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone at an elevation of 3,430 meters (11,240 feet) above sea level. USGS photo by M. Cappos.
A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientist works on installing a newly calibrated Multi-Gas instrument at the Sulfur Cone gas monitoring site high up on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone at an elevation of 3,430 meters (11,240 feet) above sea level. USGS photo by M. Cappos.
Left: 2024 HVO PIPES intern Kamalani Poepoe and colleagues prepare samples from Kīlauea’s June 2024 eruption for analysis. Top Right: Kamalani gets instruction on how to perform eruption response tasks on the rim of Halemaʻumaʻu. Lower Right: Kamalani presenting her work at the 2024 PIPES symposium in Honolulu, HI.
Left: 2024 HVO PIPES intern Kamalani Poepoe and colleagues prepare samples from Kīlauea’s June 2024 eruption for analysis. Top Right: Kamalani gets instruction on how to perform eruption response tasks on the rim of Halemaʻumaʻu. Lower Right: Kamalani presenting her work at the 2024 PIPES symposium in Honolulu, HI.
Figure caption: Example waveforms showing a T-phase arriving from the M7.4 Chile earthquake on July 19, 2024 (left). This T-phase event is compared to a local tremor burst deep beneath Pāhala on July 30, 2024 (right). The plots show time for several stations in the HVO network. The T-phase moves more slowly across the network which is represented b
Figure caption: Example waveforms showing a T-phase arriving from the M7.4 Chile earthquake on July 19, 2024 (left). This T-phase event is compared to a local tremor burst deep beneath Pāhala on July 30, 2024 (right). The plots show time for several stations in the HVO network. The T-phase moves more slowly across the network which is represented b
Map of Island of Hawaiʻi, highlighting the four active or potentially active volcanoes of the Island, the number of people living on each volcano based on 2020 census data, major roads (transportation corridors) and minor roads (proxy for population density), when each volcano last erupted, and each volcano’s national threat assessment designation.
Map of Island of Hawaiʻi, highlighting the four active or potentially active volcanoes of the Island, the number of people living on each volcano based on 2020 census data, major roads (transportation corridors) and minor roads (proxy for population density), when each volcano last erupted, and each volcano’s national threat assessment designation.
This reference map depicts recent unrest along Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone. Earthquakes that occurred between July 22–25, 2024, are shown as yellow circles. Recent ground deformation in this region, over the timeframe of July 15-24, 2024, is shown as colored fringes; data were recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite.
This reference map depicts recent unrest along Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone. Earthquakes that occurred between July 22–25, 2024, are shown as yellow circles. Recent ground deformation in this region, over the timeframe of July 15-24, 2024, is shown as colored fringes; data were recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite.
On July 25, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff again drove down the closed portion of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to check for any damage related to the July 22-25 intrusion on Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone. They found many new small cracks in Chain of Craters Road, including this one, near Hiʻiaka Crater.
On July 25, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff again drove down the closed portion of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to check for any damage related to the July 22-25 intrusion on Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone. They found many new small cracks in Chain of Craters Road, including this one, near Hiʻiaka Crater.
This map shows recent deformation at Kīlauea, over the timeframe of July 15-24, 2024. Data were recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite. Colored fringes denote areas of ground deformation, with more fringes indicating more deformation. Each color cycle represents 1.5 cm (0.6 in) of ground motion.
This map shows recent deformation at Kīlauea, over the timeframe of July 15-24, 2024. Data were recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite. Colored fringes denote areas of ground deformation, with more fringes indicating more deformation. Each color cycle represents 1.5 cm (0.6 in) of ground motion.
On July 23, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff drove down the closed portion of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to check for any damage related to the July 22-25 intrusion on Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone.
On July 23, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff drove down the closed portion of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to check for any damage related to the July 22-25 intrusion on Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone.
This map shows recent deformation at Kīlauea, over the timeframe of June 6 to July 8, 2024. Data was recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite. Colored fringes denote areas of ground deformation, with more fringes indicating more deformation. Each color cycle represents 1.5 cm (0.6 in) of ground motion.
This map shows recent deformation at Kīlauea, over the timeframe of June 6 to July 8, 2024. Data was recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite. Colored fringes denote areas of ground deformation, with more fringes indicating more deformation. Each color cycle represents 1.5 cm (0.6 in) of ground motion.
The Community Internet Intensity Map for the magnitude-4.1 earthquake on July 6, 2024, on the Island of Hawaiʻi (location shown by star). Felt reports show the intensity of shaking during the earthquake across the Island of Hawaiʻi. Not shown are felt reports from Maui and Lanaʻi for this event.
The Community Internet Intensity Map for the magnitude-4.1 earthquake on July 6, 2024, on the Island of Hawaiʻi (location shown by star). Felt reports show the intensity of shaking during the earthquake across the Island of Hawaiʻi. Not shown are felt reports from Maui and Lanaʻi for this event.
A close up view of delicate sulfur crystals in one of the cracks near the June 3 eruption site, on Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
A close up view of delicate sulfur crystals in one of the cracks near the June 3 eruption site, on Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
View of the broomsedge grass in the Puhimau thermal area on the upper East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. The Puhimau thermal area is apparent on both sides of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS image by K. Mulliken.
View of the broomsedge grass in the Puhimau thermal area on the upper East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. The Puhimau thermal area is apparent on both sides of Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Once the sand was removed from the borehole, HVO field engineers could begin the process of leveling the UWE tiltmeter located at the base.
Once the sand was removed from the borehole, HVO field engineers could begin the process of leveling the UWE tiltmeter located at the base.
HVO geologists visited Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone and site of the June 3 eruption. The mission was to remove the temporary webcams deployed during that eruption, given a new temporary webcam nearby on Cone Peak. This photo shows the temporary webcam removed today near the June 3 eruption site. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
HVO geologists visited Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone and site of the June 3 eruption. The mission was to remove the temporary webcams deployed during that eruption, given a new temporary webcam nearby on Cone Peak. This photo shows the temporary webcam removed today near the June 3 eruption site. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
While HVO geologists were moving temporary webcams, they revisited the site of the June 3 eruption. This photo looks downrift, with the June 3 pad of lava in the upper right. Extensive cracking uprift of the fissure had weak residual outgassing and vibrant sulfur deposits. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
While HVO geologists were moving temporary webcams, they revisited the site of the June 3 eruption. This photo looks downrift, with the June 3 pad of lava in the upper right. Extensive cracking uprift of the fissure had weak residual outgassing and vibrant sulfur deposits. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Extensive ground cracks are present uprift of the June 3 eruption site on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Extensive ground cracks are present uprift of the June 3 eruption site on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
With permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, a new temporary webcam was installed on Cone Peak, providing a better view of Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
With permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, a new temporary webcam was installed on Cone Peak, providing a better view of Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Another view of sulfur deposits in and around cracks near the June 3 eruption site on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Another view of sulfur deposits in and around cracks near the June 3 eruption site on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Sulfur deposits downwind of the cracks show the southwest direction of trade winds in Hawaii. These cracks were just uprift of the June 3 eruption site on Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Sulfur deposits downwind of the cracks show the southwest direction of trade winds in Hawaii. These cracks were just uprift of the June 3 eruption site on Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
On July 2, 2024, HVO field engineers re-leveled the UWE tiltmeter located near Uēkahuna bluff in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The instrument has recently approached the edge of its scale range, having recorded over 300 microradians of deformation since it was last re-leveled in August 2018.
On July 2, 2024, HVO field engineers re-leveled the UWE tiltmeter located near Uēkahuna bluff in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The instrument has recently approached the edge of its scale range, having recorded over 300 microradians of deformation since it was last re-leveled in August 2018.
Before the UWE tiltmeter could be leveled, sand had to removed from the six-meter-deep (20 feet) borehole housing the tiltmeter. HVO field engineers use a high-power vacuum to remove the sand, in order to access the tiltmeter. USGS image by M. Warren.
Before the UWE tiltmeter could be leveled, sand had to removed from the six-meter-deep (20 feet) borehole housing the tiltmeter. HVO field engineers use a high-power vacuum to remove the sand, in order to access the tiltmeter. USGS image by M. Warren.