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Photo and Video Chronology – HVO scientists visit Halema‘uma‘u crater floor – April 21, 2023

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By Hawaiian Volcano Observatory April 21, 2023

On the morning of April 21, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited the floor to document and sample deposits erupted by Kīlauea volcano, which is not currently erupting. No active lava has been observed since March 7, 2023. 

HVO scientists collect detailed data to assess hazards and understand Kīlauea volcano. This information is shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers. Access to this hazardous area is by permission from, and in coordination with, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 

April 21, 2023 — HVO geologists visit the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater, in Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera)

 

Color photograph of crater wall
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Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists documented newly exposed lava flows and tephra layers in the northwest wall of Kīlauea caldera during a field visit the morning of April 21, 2023. These new exposures will help us better understand Kīlauea's long term eruptive history, which alternates between effusive periods (producing lava flows) and explosive periods (producing tephra such as ash). USGS Photo by K. Lynn.
Color photograph of crater wall
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Three orange-clad geologists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory can be seen in this image (in orange, near center of image). During a visit to Halema‘uma‘u crater the morning of April 21, 2023, the geologists collected tephra samples from the Uēkahuna bluff along the northern wall of Kīlauea's summit caldera. Kīlauea has a history of explosive eruptions—the evidence for these events is contained within the many layers exposed along this part of the volcano. USGS image by L. Gallant. 
Color photograph of crater floor
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A morning view of the floor of Halema‘uma‘u, captured by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists during a sampling mission on April 21, 2023. Although the volcano was not erupting when this image was taken, a wispy plume can still be seen rising from the crater floor. Kīlauea summit sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates remain low and were most recently measured on April 14 at 110 tonnes per day. USGS image by L. Gallant.
Geologist standing on floor of crater
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A geologist from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) selects a sampling site on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater during the morning of April 21, 2023. The geologist is standing near the eastern rim of the lava lake that was active in the western portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater during the January–March, 2023, eruption. The mound next to the geologist is a spatter rampart; spatter ramparts form when bits of molten lava travel through the air and accumulate on the ground surface, forming a mound-like feature. Crews that visit these dynamic locations have extensive training and wear specialized personal protective equipment, such as helmets and gas masks, to keep them safe. USGS image by L. Gallant.
Color photograph of steaming crater and sunrise
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Early in the morning on Friday, April 21, two crews of geologists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory flew via helicopter into Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea to collect geologic samples. One crew visited the crater floor to sample cooled lava from the 2020–2023 summit eruptions, and another crew scaled part of the crater's northwest wall to sample ash beds and lava flows dating back many thousands of years in the volcano's past. Both crews witnessed a spectacular sunrise from inside the crater, as captured in this panorama from the base of the northwest wall. USGS image by M. Zoeller.

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