Multimedia Gallery

Telephoto photograph of the west vent area and lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

View of the west vent area and lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

Steamboat Geyser eruption signals recorded by nearby monitoring instruments. The vertical pink lines mark when the signal first appears. (A) Seismic station YNM records a signal which slowly tapers as the eruption decreases in intensity. Spikes seen before the eruption are mostly due to human activity. (B) Moments before a major eruption begins, there is often a surge of

Eruptions of Steamboat Geyser over time.  (A) Cumulative eruptions of Steamboat Geyser since 1960. Each dot represents an eruption. (B) Comparative plot of the cumulative eruptions in each active phase (1960s, 1980s, and 2018-). Data from GeyserTimes. Note that some eruptions in the 1960s are missing from this

HVO field crews deployed a dense network of temporary seismic instruments at Kīlauea’s summit on January 1, 2021, and with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The temporary instruments supplement data already being collected by HVO's permanent seismic network and will help to track the migration and storage of magma in the shallow volcanic plumbing system

With the onset of the eruption at Kīlauea summit on December 20, 2020, the HVO monitoring network has been recording volcanic tremor, a signal that travels through the subsurface as magma degasses and erupts from vents to fill a lava lake at the summit. Since the signal is continuous, it can be used to track the migration and storage of magma in Kīlauea's shallow volcanic

Within an hour of the Kīlauea summit eruption starting on December 20, 2020, HVO's permanent seismic network detected a signal called volcanic tremor. This tremor signal has been continuous since that time, creating an uninterrupted signal that travels through the subsurface as magma degasses and erupts from vents to fill a lava lake at the summit.  This photo shows a an

On January 1, 2021, with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, HVO researchers set up temporary seismic instruments around Halema‘uma‘u crater to collect data that will help them learn more about how magma travels in the shallow magmatic plumbing system beneath Kīlauea Volcano. In this photo, the field crew hikes along a portion of Crater Rim Drive road that was

The western portion of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea Volcano summit. The island has migrated closer to the west vent area, which remains active. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Another telephoto view of the west vent area in Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea Volcano. The west vents are in the northwestern wall of Halema‘uma‘u crater; intermittent spattering at the vents has constructed a perched pointed cone on the crater wall. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Telephoto view of the west vent area in Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea Volcano. The west vents are in the northwestern wall of Halema‘uma‘u crater; intermittent spattering at the vents has constructed a perched pointed cone on the crater wall. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

The margins of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u are showing a subtle levee around the perimeter. The levees grow from repeated small overflows, and the rafting and piling of pieces of surface crust that fuse together into a barrier that impounds the lake. This results in a "perched" lava lake, and this geometry has been common for lava lakes at Kīlauea's summit and rift zones

Kīlauea's summit lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu continues to re-surface. This process is called crustal foundering, in which pieces of solidified lava crust on the surface of the lava lake break and sink back into the liquid portion. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Kīlauea's summit lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu is continually re-surfacing. Like the 2008-2018 lava lake, the current lava lake is exhibiting crustal foundering, when fragments of solidified lava crust on the surface break and sink back into the liquid portion.  USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Kīlauea eruption in Halema‘uma‘u on Jan. 1, 2021. The channel-like feature remains visible on the lava lake surface within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. This feature originates from the influx of lava from the western fissure. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Over the past week, the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u has developed a subtle levee around its perimeter that allows the lake to be slightly perched above its base, like a mesa. The levees grow from repeated small overflows, and the rafting and piling of pieces of surface crust that fuse together into a barrier that impounds the fluid lake. This is called a "perched" lava lake

Map of seismicity (red circles) in the Yellowstone region during 2020. Gray lines are roads, red line shows the caldera boundary, Yellowstone National Park is outlined by black dashed line, and gray dashed lines denote state boundaries.

The KW webcam captured this image of Kīlauea's ongoing summit eruption, which continued overnight. The KW webcam looks in an east direction; north is to the left in the photo, south to the right, west to the bottom, and east to the top. This photo, taken at 6:30 a.m. HST on January 1, 2021, shows that the west vent (bottom of photo) remains active. You can view live KW

Left: magnified view of erupted material, including Pele’s hair and tears, as seen under a microscope (USGS Photo by K. Lynn on 12/26/2020). Middle: Zoomed in electron image of the tephra, where greyscale indicates the relative abundance of iron (Fe). Very small (less than 0.1 mm [less than 0.004 inches]) clinopyroxene and plagioclase crystals are labeled next to vesicles

Rebecca Steinberg making her first discharge measurement as a new hydrologic technician while lake-effect snow creates a winter wonderland at the Cuyahoga River, Hiram Ohio gage station 04202000. An American flag is peaking out in the background.

USGS staff Dave Brower and Jeff Klein collecting water samples from the catwalk on Conowingo Dam. Streamgage 01578310 Susquehanna River at Conowingo, MD

Hydrologist downloading water-level sensor deployed for summer as part of an ecohydro study in *H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest. *USGS Integrated Ecohydrological Science - USFS & Oregon State University *Patrick Haluska

Brian Bergamaschi and Katy O’Donnell onboard the RV Landsteiner during a high-resolution water quality mapping survey. The boat is equipped with a flow-through system that pumps water onto the boat while underway and directs sample water to a multiparameter water quality sonde, thermosalinograph, fluorometers, nitrate and ammonium analyzers.

Jeniffer Soto Perez (left) and Emily Richardson (Right) prepare water quality sample bottles onboard the RV Landsteiner during a high-resolution water quality mapping survey. The boat is equipped with a flow-through system that pumps water onto the boat while underway and directs sample water to a multiparameter water quality sonde, thermosalinograph, fluorometers, nitrate

(From left to right) Brian Bergamaschi, Katy O’Donnell, Emily Richardson, and Jeniffer Soto Perez onboard the RV Landsteiner during a high-resolution water quality mapping survey. The boat is equipped with a flow-through system that pumps water onto the boat while underway and directs sample water to a multiparameter water quality sonde, thermosalinograph, fluorometers,

Katy O’Donnell onboard the RV Landsteiner during a high-resolution water quality mapping survey. The boat is equipped with a flow-through system that pumps water onto the boat while underway and directs sample water to a multiparameter water quality sonde, thermosalinograph, fluorometers, nitrate and ammonium analyzers.

Brian Bergamaschi and Katy O’Donnell onboard the RV Landsteiner during a high-resolution water quality mapping survey. The boat is equipped with a flow-through system that pumps water onto the boat while underway and directs sample water to a multiparameter water quality sonde, thermosalinograph, fluorometers, nitrate and ammonium analyzers. Data is logged every 1 second

Katy O’Donnell monitors readings from different instruments of the flow-through system during a high-resolution water quality mapping survey onboard the RV Landsteiner along the Sacramento River in West Sacramento, CA. The flow-through system pumps water onto the boat while underway and directs sample water to a multiparameter water quality sonde, thermosalinograph,

Hydrologic Technician Matt Bach measures discharge in Ashwaubenon Creek near Little Rapids, WI (NWIS site: 04085068) on May 21, 2020, as part of a cooperative project with NEWWater (Green Bay Metropolitan Sewage District) utilizing an adaptive management approach to meet phosphorus

Hydrologic Technician Matt Bach measures discharge in Ashwaubenon Creek near Little Rapids, WI (NWIS site: 04085068) on May 21, 2020, as part of a cooperative project with NEWWater (Green Bay Metropolitan Sewage District) utilizing an adaptive management approach to meet phosphorus

Experimental apparatus for reacting hot water and rhyolite. The photo on the left shows the inert gold bags into which the rhyolite fragments and water were inserted. After being sealed, the gold bag is then placed into a steel pressure vessel, which itself is loaded into a furnace (photo on the right). The furnace is connected through several wires to a controller that

Dave Brower (left) and Taylor Nagleri (right) working on logging data that was being collected by Rob Lorens in the stream (not pictured).

USGS employee taking surface water measurement at gage 11453500 Putah Creek near Guenoc, CA

Devin McGinty collecting measurements in the field including surveying and installing a new staff gage. 

Dr. Graham Sextone downloading weather station data in Rocky Mountain National Park. Station ID 401719105394311

USGS 401723105400000 ANDREWS CREEK - LOCH, VALE-Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Bobby Scharping, a post-doctoral scholar working with scientists from the USGS (John Pohlman) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Stefan Sievert and Matt Charette), documents the environmental conditions where he as emplaced an acoustic current meter and multi-sensor package 90 feet underwater AND underground in Double Keyhole Cave near the coastline of Tampa Bay

The USGS Active Groundwater Level Network includes about 20,000 wells that have been measured by the USGS or USGS cooperators at least once within the past 13 months. The animation shows a daily snapshot of water-level statistics in the network for December 2020.

Refer to the 

The western fissure in Halemaʻumaʻu wall remains active. Glowing vents and a prominent spatter cone are visible in this photo, which shows some spattering at the vent. This view looks steeply down from Kīlauea's west caldera rim, and the lava lake surface is visible in the background. USGS photo by B. Carr on 12/31/2020. 

View of the northern portion of the lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. Smaller islands present in the northeastern portion of the lava lake are visible. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

View of the northern portion of the lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. Smaller islands present in the northeastern portion of the lava lake are visible. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

A channel-like feature is visible on the lava lake surface within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. This feature originates from the influx of lava from the western fissure, just out of view on the bottom of the photograph. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

The view from Kīlauea Volcano's western caldera rim shows the eastern portion of the lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The main island is visible in the bottom of the photograph, and smaller islands can be seen above it (to the east). USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

The western fissure in Halemaʻumaʻu wall remains active. Glowing vents and a prominent spatter cone are visible in this photo. This view looks steeply down from Kīlauea's west caldera rim, and the lava lake surface is visible in the background. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

Kīlauea's summit lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu is continually re-surfacing. HVO geologists monitoring the activity in the field have observed crustal foundering, in which pieces of solidified lava crust on the surface of the lava lake break and sink back into the liquid portion. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

Kīlauea's summit lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu is continually re-surfacing. HVO geologists monitoring the activity in the field have observed crustal foundering, in which pieces of solidified lava crust on the surface of the lava lake break and sink back into the liquid portion. USGS photo by M. Patrick on 12/31/2020. 

This map of Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea shows 20 m (66 ft) contour lines (dark gray) that mark locations of equal elevation above sea level (asl). The map shows that the lava lake (approximate area marked in red) has filled 184 m (603 ft) of Halema‘uma‘u since the eruption began at approximately 9:30 p.m. HST on December 20, 2020. USGS map.