Images

A telephoto view of the western fissure that opened in the wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, during the new Kīlauea summit eruption. Spatter from the lava fountains have built a horseshoe-shaped cone (black lava) surrounding the upper part of the fountain, while lava flows into the lava lake at the base of the vent.

This overview photo of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u was captured from the west rim of the crater shortly after noon on September 30, 2021. Several fissures, erupting through the lava lake, stretch from the lake's center to its southern (right) margin.

On the evening of September 30, 2021, linear fissures remained active in the middle of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake at Kīlauea. This photo was taken from the south, looking north, in a closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, where USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitor the eruption with National Park Service permission. USGS Photo by K. Lynn.

On September 30, 2021, a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientist takes notes based on the spectra being displayed by the field laptop, which is connected to a FTIR spectrometer on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. In this image, multiple active fountaining sources are visible in the central and western portions of Halemaʻumaʻu.

Aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. Lava continues to erupt from multiple vents along the floor and western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. As of this afternoon all lava activity is confined within Halemaʻumaʻu Crater.

Aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. The nascent lava lake has been rising approximately one meter (yard) an hour since the eruption began.

Aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. The eruption is generating a vigorous plume of volcanic gas, including sulfur dioxide, being transported downwind.

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. A series of fountains in the central portion of the lava lake are visible, as well as the prominent vent in the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu.

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. This photo shows two of the many spattering sources active in the base of Halemaʻumaʻu, feeding the growing lava lake. The south wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater is visible in the upper left portion of the image.

Oblique aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. This view shows multiple active spattering sources in southern central part of Halemaʻumaʻu, and associated plumes of volcanic gas.

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. The active vent in the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu is vigorously fountaining, and is one of many fountaining sources active in the lava lake right now.

A helicopter overflight on September 30, 2021, at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This thermal map shows the extent of the new lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists continue to monitor the new eruption at in Kīlauea's Halema‘uma‘u crater on the evening of September 30, 2021. Field crews made measurements of the active fountains and the lava lake level to track how quickly it is rising. This photo was taken from a closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS Photo by K.

On September 30, 2021, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientists used a FTIR spectrometer on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater to measure the composition of gases being emitted during Kīlauea's summit eruption, which began the afternoon of Septembe 29, 2021.

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. This photo shows the eastern portoin of the nascent lava lake, where it meets the wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

A helicopter overflight on September 30, 2021, at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This thermal map shows a closer view of the new lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u.

Photo of the new lava lake within Halema'uma'u crater at Kīlauea summit taken early in the morning on September 30. This view from the northwest rim of Halema'uma'u shows two webcams facing the new eruption, with fissures producing lava that is accumulating within the crater.

The eruption within Halema'uma'u, at Kīlauea summit within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, continues at dawn on September 30, 2021. Fountaining at multiple fissure locations on the base and west wall of the crater continues, and a lava lake is growing within Halema'uma'u.

This zoomed-in photo of the western fissure within Halema‘uma‘u was captured at 9:00 a.m. on September 30, 2021. Eruptive activity at this location is very similar to that of the northern fissure from the December 2020 eruption, with lava fountains feeding a short cascade down to the rising lava lake.

Morning light and shifts in the volcanic gas plume allowed field crews on September 30 to glimpse the surface of the main island that remains from the 12/2020–5/2021 lava lake. The island appears to be blanketed with a new coating of spatter and tephra from nearby fissures within the lava lake, with minor overflows at the edges.