Images

On Friday, February 18, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists visited the Halema‘uma‘u crater rim to observe the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. At the time of their visit, the lava lake in the western portion of the crater had drained substantially in association with deflation of the summit region.

A portion of the updated 2021 Geologic Map of the State of Hawai‘i showing part of the District of Puna in the County of Hawaii, where recent lava flow units have been added to the map. In this figure, the new lava flow units have been colored differently than the published map to emphasize their location. USGS map.

This image was captured by the F1cam, a thermal camera located on the west rim of the caldera and looking east, at 4:42 a.m. HST on February 10, 2022. It shows the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS image. 

A 1-meter (3-foot)-high standing wave was present in the spillway that is feeding the active portion of Kīlauea's summit lava lake, as seen from the west side of Halema‘uma‘u crater (in the vicinity of the KWcam and looking to the east). USGS photo by L. Gallant

This view of the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u was captured on February 10, 2022. The pond north of the west vent generally feeds the active part of the lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea volcano through the spillway seen on the top right of the photograph.

On the afternoon of Monday, February 7, 2022, Kīlauea's summit lava lake activity was located on the west side of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

During the afternoon of February 4, HVO geologists observed abundant spattering within the perched margin of the active part of the lava lake in the west portion of Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea volcano. Over the weekend, the eruption has continued, with slight fluctuations in lava output. USGS image by K. Mulliken.

Lava cascades from a pond north of the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u into the active lava lake in the western portion of the crater. On the afternoon of February 4, the pond was measured as about one meter (a few feet) higher than the larger lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

The west vent in Halema‘uma‘u was glowing as Kīlauea's summit eruption continued through the afternoon of February 4, 2022. From the west rim of Kīlauea caldera, HVO geologists could hear gas-jetting noises from the west vent, as well as from the spatter features on the inactive lava lake surface in the eastern portion of Halema‘uma‘u. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

The lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea was visibly full beneath overcast skies during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory eruption monitoring field shift on February 4, 2022. This photo was taken from west rim of the Kīlauea caldera, in the vicinity of the KWcam. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

Recent activity at the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Lava upwelling at the western vent flows into the lake, where bubbling is commonly present. USGS image by M. Patrick.

The western part of Kīlauea's current summit eruption, showing the active part of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater. This lava lake is being fed from a small pond to the north of the impressive west vent. This photo was taken around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, from the west rim of Halemaʻumaʻu. USGS photo by D. Downs.

The small 20-meter (66 foot)-wide pond to the north of the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater. This pond feeds the active part of the lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea volcano via a small cascade of only a meter or two (several feet) down into the larger lava lake. This photo was taken around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, from the west rim of Halema‘uma‘u.

Photo of the west vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater, which has been built up with spattering lava thrown out since the current Kīlauea summit eruption began in September 2021. In this photo, the west vent interior glows and is emitting a heavy sulfur dioxide-rich plume.

This unoccupied aircraft system (UAS) photograph shows the western eruptive vent (upper left) and lava pond (center right) within Halemaʻumaʻu crater during an eruptive pause on January 28, 2022. The pond hosts the only active lava in this view. The western impounding walls of the drained lava lake are visible from center to lower left of this image.

A telephoto view of the northeastern edge of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. Two steep-sided spatter cones (near center) have been making audible gas-jetting sounds which have been noted by field crews over the past few days.

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on January 28, 2022. One eruptive vent is intermittently active within Halema‘uma‘u, along the western edge of the lava lake. When this vent is effusing lava, it pours into the active portion of the lake, colored red on this map.

A telephoto view of the west vent and lava pond within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit. On January 28, HVO field crews only observed active lava within the small lava pond to the north (upper left) of the west vent (lower right). A diffuse volcanic gas plume was being emitted from the west vent. USGS photo taken by L.

A view of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, at Kīlauea summit, from the western crater rim. Lava within the main western lava lake (lower center) drained overnight, and now all active surface lava is confined to the small lava pond north (left) of the west vent. USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither on January 28, 2022.

On January 27, HVO scientists surveyed parts of the downdropped block in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, north of Halema‘uma‘u crater, for an area to deploy a new continuous gravity instrument funded through the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (H.R.

This telephoto view, taken from the northeast rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater and looking to the southwest, shows newly developed spatter cones on the surface of the inactive lava lake in the eastern portion of the crater. These features are similar in appearance to hornitos, which are steep and conical structures that form over lava tubes.