Videos

Whether you drink water from your tap, use electricity or canoe down your local river, chances are you benefit from USGS streamgage information. So what is a streamgage and what does it do for you? This CoreCast episode gives you the inside scoop on your silent superhero.

Transcript and captions available soon.

movie shows the disappearance of the lava pond deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity during the early morning hours of October 3. The lava surface undergoes two filling and draining cycles, and then retreats to deeper levels in the conduit, completely out of view, around 2 am.

movie shows lava pond activity within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity captured with the low-light camera situated at the Halema`uma`u Overlook. The entire night of Oct 1-2, 2009, is shown here in 26 seconds, so the speed of the video is increased considerably. You can see many cycles of filling and draining, with each cycle lasting about two hours.

This video shows the remarkable fluid motion of a finger of pāhoehoe flowing into an old skylight at the top of Royal Gardens subdivision. The movement of the viscous lava resembles that of soft-serve ice cream.

movie shows two separate rockfalls impacting and disrupting the active lava pond in Halema`uma`u. Rockfalls here result from collapse of the unstable walls of the vent cavity, and are a common occurrence.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologist Leanne Hanson narrates this video showing how the Raven-A small unmanned aircraft system, also called an sUAS or simply a drone, works in the field and what it “sees” from the air. In the first application of the Raven A system to a natural resource management need, the USGS and U.S.

movie shows vigorous spattering at the northeast margin of the lava pond that is deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity. The lava surface, cut by incandescent cracks, is slowly migrating towards the southeast (down in this image). The lava pond has been visible the last several nights in the Halema`uma`u Overlook webcam (see 'webcams' link above).

movie shows spattering on the northeast margin of a small lava pond deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity. The video was shot in "nightshot" mode, which provides improved views through the thick fume at night. Each spatter burst represents a gas bubble, or bubbles, breaking at the surface.

movie shows a brown plume event resulting from a collapse within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity. Later views into the vent cavity with a thermal camera revealed that the floor of the vent cavity—at about 200 yards below the vent rim—had fallen away, deepening the vent cavity even further.

by Jack Boatwright, USGS Seismologist

An explosion at 3:13am from the vent in Halema`uma`u ejected hot particles about a hundred yards above the vent rim, and several tens of yards above the Halema`uma`u Overlook. This Quicktime movie (shown at x2 speed) shows the event captured by a low-light camera in the HVO observation tower.

movie shows a view into the Halema`uma`u vent cavity with a thermal camera. To the naked eye, the vent is entirely obscured by thick fume, but the thermal camera can 'see' through much of this and provide views of the cavity interior. These views show four puffing holes on the floor of the cavity. North is to the right.

movie shows two degassing holes on the floor of the Halema`uma`u cavity. Lava is just below the rim of the two holes, creating frequent spattering which falls around their rims. Within the larger of the two (on the right), lava can be seen vigorously sloshing. For scale, these openings are about 10 yards wide.

Highlights of UMESC's open house September 2009. Commentary from the Center Director, Outreach Coordinator and Center Scientists.

The December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami was one of the deadliest natural disasters of modern history, killing over 225,000 people. As a result of this catastrophe, the U.S. Geological Survey has partnered with the international community to create an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS).

This film presents a summary of the natural hazards of Hong Kong. Such natural hazards include earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, and landslides.

This film presents a summary of the natural hazards and resources of Thailand. It explores the different types of hazards that Thailand needs to be prepared for: flooding, drought, storm surges, earthquakes, and tsunamis. This film also presents the Thai Meteorological Department that monitors and reports earthquake and tsunami activity.

This film depicts the effects of the Wenchuan Earthquake in China on May 12, 2008. This was filmed May 23-26, 2008 in Sichuan by Yingying Huang. The film captures the devastation of the Wenchuan Earthquake as experienced by the local population, as well as effects on the buildings and monuments.

movie shows a recent instance of the Halema`uma`u changing from its typical white to a dusty brown. The brown plume events are normally associated with collapses of the cavity walls.

movie shows a view into the Thanksgiving Eve Breakout (TEB) lava tube, thanks to a skylight (a hole in the roof of the tube). The lava stream, which is about two yards below the skylight, is moving swiftly downhill (the video is shown at actual speed), towards the Waikupanaha ocean entry.

a discussion of present opportunities and future challenges

by Colin F. Williams, USGS Geophysicist