Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight

By Hawaiian Volcano Observatory October 23, 2026

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff conducted a lava sampling mission and monitoring overflight of Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea the morning of October 22, 2026, following episode 55 which occurred on October 17, 2026.

Helicopter landed on black lava flows for scientists to collect samples

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On October 22, 2026, a crew of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists traveled via helicopter to the Halema‘uma‘u crater floor to collect lava samples from Kīlauea summit eruption episode 55, which occurred on October 17. Here, one of the geologists is seen loading into the aircraft with the eruptive vent complex visible to the right about 1,000 feet (300 meters) away. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.

A scientist picking up pieces of lava from a lava flow surface

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A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects cooled lava samples from episode 55 lava flows on the Halema‘uma‘u crater floor. During a helicopter overflight, HVO scientists landed on the crater floor to collect samples from an episode 55 lava channel for chemical analysis. Episode 55 occurred on October 17 and lasted for about 6 hours with maximum fountain heights from the north vent reaching about 720 feet (220 meters). USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither on October 22, 2026.

Black and light gray lava flows cover a volcanic crater floor — An aerial view of the episode 55 lava channels and flows on Halema‘uma‘u crater floor taken on October 22, 2026, during a Kīlauea summit overflight. On October 17, lava flows from episode 55 covered a large portion of the crater floor. The smooth surfaces of the lava channels are light gray in color, while flows that spread away from the channels are darker in color. Some areas, including ones with yellow sulfur deposits like the one in the upper left, are lava flows from older fountaining episodes. USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither.

White volcanic gas plume being emitted from vents

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An aerial view of the vent complex within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea, taken during a helicopter overflight on October 22, 2026. Deep within the north vent (lower left) a small area of incandescence was visible during the flight but isn’t visible in this photo. A lava surface was visible within the west vent, which is near the center of this image, but only some weak incandescence is visible through the plume in this image. The south vent, which was buried at the surface by episode 55 lava, is completely obscured by the gas plume in this photo. USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither.

Volcanic vent emitting a thick white volcanic gas plume

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A close-up aerial view of the north vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater taken during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on October 22, 2026. During the flight, a small area of incandescence was visible deep within the vent but can’t be seen in this image. In the ongoing episodic eruption at Kīlauea summit, lava fountains from the north vent during episode 55 reached maximum heights of about 720 feet (220 meters). USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither.

Close-up image of a volcanic vent with red lava surface far below the vent rim

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This close-up view of the west vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater was taken during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on October 22, 2026. A portion of the lava surface is visible deep within the vent following episode 55 which occurred on October 17. The thick white volcanic gas plume from the north vent (which is out of view to the lower left) covers the upper left part of the image. USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither.

A brown hill of volcanic tephra with a crack and yellow and orange areas of alteration — During a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u crater, this close-up image was taken of the tephra hill on the southwest rim of Kaluapele (the Kīlauea summit caldera). This hill of tephra formed during the ongoing episodic summit eruption as tephra fallout from many high fountaining episodes accumulated here. A large crack is visible on the right side of the image where the material has slowly been slumping, along with areas of alteration that are yellow and orange in color. USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither on October 22, 2026.