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Photo and Video Chronology – Kīlauea summit – September 18, 2023

More eruption information
By Hawaiian Volcano Observatory September 19, 2023

Kīlauea is not erupting. The summit eruption that began on September 10 ended on September 16. It is unlikely that the recent eruption will resume based on the behavior of past, short-lived summit fissure eruptions at Kīlauea summit in 1982, 1975, 1974, and 1971, which all ended abruptly. Future eruptions at Kīlauea's summit remain possible and HVO continues to monitor activity. 

HVO scientists continue to assess the location of the recent eruption at the summit of Kīlauea. Access to this hazardous area is by permission from, and in coordination with, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

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Eruptive activity was shutting down at Kīlauea summit on Saturday, September 16, with only weak spattering at one vent in the morning. By midday, the eruptive activity had effectively ended.

 

Color photograph of eruption site
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This overview of the recent eruption site within caldera at the summit of Kīlauea was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on Monday, September 18, 2023. Looking to the east-northeast from above the western crater floor, the now-inactive eruptive vents form a cluster of small black cinder cones in the upper-right quadrant of the photo. The eruption covered approximately 496 acres (201 hectares) with new lava; most of this area is visible here. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.
color photograph of volcanic vents
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Mid-day on September 15, 2023, the eruption at Kīlauea continued with fountaining activity localized to only two active vents (one of which is shown here with red spatter). In this image looking to the north (with the former Jaggar Museum building visible on the caldera rim), one now inactive vent was incandescent and covered in a white coating from the degassing. The texture of the cones and the image foreground reflect spatter and tephra deposits. HVO field crews were sampling the tephra from these now inactive fissures. USGS photo by K. Lynn.
color photograph of inactive vents
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Telephoto view of a line of cones formed during the Kīlauea summit eruption that began on September 10, 2023, with no active lava visible. Photo taken during the morning of September 17, looking approximately westward from Keanakāko‘i Overlook. USGS photo by J.M. Chang.
color photograph of caldera
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Early morning view of Kīlauea summit, looking from the old Jaggar Museum near Uēkahuna Overlook towards the southeast. The eruption that began only a week ago has ended but leaves a significantly altered landscape. USGS photo by J.M. Chang. 
Color photograph of eruptive vents
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A closeup of the cone complex formed in the recent eruption at the summit of Kīlauea, with weak spattering present in the western cone.  This spattering had ended by midday on September 16. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 
Color photograph of eruptive vents
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A wide view of the downdropped block at Kīlauea summit, from Uēkahuna bluff, showing the cones formed in the recent eruption.  The eruption was shutting down at this point with very little vent activity, and only a weak gas plume. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Color photograph of eruptive vents and ponded lava
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During the morning of September 16, the lava pond on the north side of the cone on the downdropped block at Kīlauea summit was stagnating, with occasional foundering of the crust. The eruption was shutting down at this point with very little vent activity, and only a weak gas plume. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Color photograph of inactive eruption site
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A view of the inactive vents on the downdropped block of Kīlauea summit caldera, which erupted from September 10-16, 2023. During the morning of September 16, HVO field crews reported that active lava was no longer flowing onto Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor and was restricted to a ponded area north of the vents on the downdropped block. They observed lava spattering at the vents cease at approximately 11:15 am yesterday, September 16, and webcam views show the ponded lava stagnant by around noon. No activity was observed by field crews on September 17. USGS photo by J. Chang. 
Color photograph of caldera
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HVO field crews observed no eruptive activity at the summit of Kīlauea this morning, September 17, 2023. The eruption within the caldera that began on September 10 stopped on September 16. Some areas of steam persist, and overnight webcam views showed incandescence across the eruption area as lava erupted over the past week continues to cool. USGS photo by J. Chang. 
Color photograph of summit caldera
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During the morning of September 16, HVO field crews reported that active lava was no longer flowing onto Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor and was restricted to a ponded area north of the vents on the downdropped block in Kīlauea summit caldera. They observed lava spattering at the vents cease at approximately 11:15 September 16, and webcam views show the ponded lava stagnant by around noon. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 
Color photograph of eruption site
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This southwest-looking overview of the eruptive vents at the summit of Kīlauea was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on Friday, September 15. Field crews observed reduced activity at the eruptive vents throughout the day on Friday; spattering was reduced at all vents, and one of them fully crusted over (just below and left of this image's center). USGS image by M. Zoeller. 
Color photograph of scientist collecting sample
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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists collected tephra samples erupted from Kīlauea summit on September 10th, 2023. The samples were collected from the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater and range in size up to 1 inch (2.54 cm). This tephra was visibly less rounded than the existing tephra along the rim from the June 2023 eruption. Geochemical analysis of this tephra will share information related to the plumbing system and conditions prior to eruption. Photo taken by J. Schmith.

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