Videos

Lava continues to erupt from a perched lava pond within the west vent of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This video shows nearly continuous spatter bursts through the pond and a roiling and sloshing pond surface. At about 43 seconds into the video, a white-trailed tropicbird (koa‘e kea) flies through the frame.

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 12, a small overflow of the perched lava lake levee was visible from the western crater rim. Overflows are an important process for building up perched levees, as they help add height and stability.

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 9, a close-up view of the west vent shows spatter bursting and sloshing within the cone. Spatter was thrown about 6–9 m (20–30 ft) above the pond surface, occasionally depositing spatter onto the rim of the cone. 

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake. The base level of the pond fluctuates over the timespan of minutes.

It has been one month since the new eruption began in Halema'uma'u. Over the past year at Kīlauea summit there has been a water lake and two eruptions within Halema'uma'u crater.

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake.

Morning views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on October 23, 2021. Variable west vent fountain heights are visible in this video, which is shown at 5 times speed.

Morning views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on October 23, 2021. This view is from the south rim of the crater. Lava continues to erupt from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. Lava fountains within the cone and spills out of the cone opening, flowing east into the lake.

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on October 15, 2021, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. The vent has a spatter cone around it, with an opening to the east from which lava flows into the lava lake. 

The eruption continues within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The western vent supplies lava into the lava lake through a short spillway. Consistent fountain heights of 10–15 meters (30–50 ft) were interrupted by frequent larger busts of spatter exceeding the height of the cone (30 m or 100 ft). 

Lava continues to erupt from the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u. On October 12, a short-lived vent (erupting for approximately 10 hours) was present to the north of the main vent (right). Lava fountaining from the main vent was 10–15 meters (30–50 ft) above the lake surface, with larger bursts exceeding the height of the cone (30 meters or 100 ft).

Eruptive activity continues at the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. When this video was taken on October 12, a small subordinate vent was present on the north side of the main fountaining vent. The main fountaining source was supplying lava into the lake via a short spillway.

Kīlauea summit eruption lava fountain height in Halema‘uma‘u crater on October 10, 2021 was highly variable. A persistent low fountain a few meters (yards) tall was frequently interrupted by larger series of bursts throwing lava more than 15 meters (50 feet) into the air and onto the interior walls of the vent cone. 

An HVO geologist makes observations, collects data, and maintains instruments during the ongoing eruption within Halema'uma'u.

The eruption continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Lava fountaining no longer emerges from the central portion of the lake, with fountaining limited to the west vent shown here. Low fountaining within the cone supplies lava into the lake via a short spillway. 

Lava fountains from the western fissure vent in the Halema‘uma‘u crater wall, at Kīlauea's summit during the ongoing eruption. The shaking at the end of the video is due to strong wind gusts moving the tripod. This video clip was recorded on October 5, 2021, from the southern crater rim. 

The eruption continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. This video shows the dominant fountain at the west vent, from two different angles, as well as the smaller fountaining source emerging through the lava lake. 

Lava fountains from the western fissure vent in the Halema‘uma‘u crater wall, at Kīlauea's summit during the ongoing eruption. Sustained fountain heights from this fissure ranged from about 10–15 meters (33–49 ft) with occasional higher bursts of spatter. This video clip was recorded on October 2, 2021, from the western crater rim.

Lava fountains through the southern part of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea's summit during the ongoing eruption. Sustained fountain heights from this fissure ranged from about 5–10 meters (16–33 ft) with occasional higher bursts of spatter. This video clip was recorded on October 2, 2021, from the southern crater rim.

Low lava fountains near the southeast edge of the main island in the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. One of the small (less than 5 meters or 16 feet) fountains has built a cone on the edge of the island.

The eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, continues with lava fountaining and a rising lava lake. The overflight on Friday, October 1, showed fewer fountaining sites in the center of the lake, compared to the previous day. USGS video by M. Patrick.