Images

This week, USGS Volcano Science Center scientists from other locations are helping the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to deploy the 1,800 seismic nodes (small earthquake-detecting devices) across Kīlauea summit region.

This view of Halema‘uma‘u was captured from partway up the northwestern wall of the crater by an HVO geologist visiting the area on Wednesday, May 3, to collect geologic samples. The basin of the lava lake from the end of the most recent eruption is defined by the steaming area in the upper center of the frame. USGS image by M. Zoeller.  

HVO scientists conducted a routine Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight during the morning of May 3, 2023. During the overflight, the helicopter flies around Halema‘uma‘u several times, and scientists take both regular pictures and infrared images that tell us about the temperatures on the crater floor. These images are used to create maps of the crater.

During a morning overflight on May 3, 2023, HVO scientists did not observe any activity within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. The most recent eruptive activity was observed on March 7.

On May 3, HVO scientists and collaborators deployed some seismic nodes for the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project in the Hilina Pali area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Many of the nodes being deployed have spikes on the bottom to secure them into the ground to avoid wind movement, which cause noise in the data they collect.

A helicopter overflight on May 3, 2023, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. No active lava was present in the crater, with only scattered warm spots on the crater floor.

A pallet of buckets containing equipment for the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project is placed on netting so that it can be moved via helicopter sling load. These pallets package a small portion of the 1,800 seismic nodes (small earthquake-detecting devices) that are being deployed in Kīlauea summit region as part of the project.

The gear for the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project is staged and ready to be moved on Crater Rim Drive in the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Portions of Crater Rim Drive collapsed into Kīlauea caldera in 2018 and this project is partially funded by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (H.R.

An HVO scientist prepares netting to move a pallet of equipment via helicopter for the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project on April 28, 2023. During the project, caches of equipment are deployed around Kīlauea summit. HVO scientists and collaborators then distribute the equipment from the cache into a network across the summit region. USGS image by M. Patrick.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists documented newly exposed lava flows and tephra layers in the northwest wall of Kīlauea caldera during a field visit the morning of April 21, 2023.

Three orange-clad geologists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory can be seen in this image (in orange, near center of image). During a visit to Halema‘uma‘u crater the morning of April 21, 2023, the geologists collected tephra samples from the Uēkahuna bluff along the northern wall of Kīlauea's summit caldera.

A morning view of the floor of Halema‘uma‘u, captured by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists during a sampling mission on April 21, 2023. Although the volcano was not erupting when this image was taken, a wispy plume can still be seen rising from the crater floor.

Early in the morning on Friday, April 21, two crews of geologists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory flew via helicopter into Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea to collect geologic samples.

A geologist from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) selects a sampling site on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater during the morning of April 21, 2023. The geologist is standing near the eastern rim of the lava lake that was active in the western portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater during the January–March, 2023, eruption.

Map of the Mauna Loa 2022 eruptive fissures, shown as red lines. Red shaded area indicates lava flows produced during the eruption, around the fissure vent areas. Solid white line indicates mapped outer caldera boundary. White dotted line indicates inferred outer caldera boundary that is buried by historic Mauna Loa lava flows. Fissures on map were documented by C.

A USGS scientist checks the location to deploy a seismic node within Hiʻiaka Crater, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, as part of the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project. The station is one of 1,800 that will collect data for the next two months.

A USGS scientist hikes into Pauahi Crater, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, to deploy seismic nodes for the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project. The floor of Pauahi Crater is covered by lava that flowed into the crater during a Kīlauea East Rift Zone eruption in November 1979. USGS image by M. Patrick.

A USGS scientist installs a seismic node within Pauahi Crater, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, as part of the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project. The station is one of 1,800 that will collect data for the next two months.

A USGS scientist checks the location of the seismic node being installed within Pauahi Crater, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, as part of the Kīlauea Seismic Imaging Project. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has a permanent monitoring network of several seismometers at the summit of Kīlauea that detect natural earthquakes, but more sei

A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist uses a compass to check the orientation of a seismic node (blue) that was deployed on Kīlauea's summit caldera floor on April 17, 2023. The station is one of 1,800 that will collect data for the next two months.

A clear view across Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) on April 17, 2023, taken from Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge) on Crater Rim Trail in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.