Images

HVO scientists inspect a seismic station on Mauna Loa to evaluate for a possible equipment upgrade in the near future.

HVO scientists measure a GPS instrument to ensure its stability during a multi-day deployment in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Map of moderate, high and very high threat volcanoes monitored by the California

A close-up of the active fumarole field on the north wall of the pit.

The weather was warm and sunny during a routine visit to the Halema‘uma‘u webcam. No significant changes were observed, and no rockfalls were heard.

As the sun rose above Mauna Kea (background) on July 6, 1975, eruptive fissures along the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa fed voluminous ‘a‘ā lava flows that quickly moved down the north flank of the volcano. USGS photo by D. Peterson.

Webicorder for PNSN TDH seismometer located on the southwestern flank of Mount H

Schematic model showing a cross section of Old Faithful's plumbing system as determined from seismic studies. The red circles (t0-t3) show the location of the tremor source over time, and how the tremor source migrates upward prior to an Old Faithful eruption. Times between red circles are based on a 93-minute eruption interval.

A high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) survey is completed annually on Mauna Loa. This station was occupied for a period of three days to supplement the continuously operating GPS stations on the volcano. A beautiful view of Mauna Kea (in distance) could seen from this site during the GPS survey. 

Graphic shows the earthquake swarm from June-July, 2019, compared to previous swarms detected in March 2019, 2017, 2016, and in 2014. The activity is likely the result of small-scale underground movements of hydrothermal fluids or gas — a sign that Mount St. Helens remains an active volcano.

What does a hardened lava flow look like? This photograph is of the frothy top of a lava flow near the fissure 8 vent, on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone. The different sizes and abundance of bubbles in the surface texture create different colors of the lava, including the light brown and darker black near the boot (for scale).

Telephoto zoom of the largest sulfur deposit forming on the NE talus wall in Halema‘uma‘u. The view is from the
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's K3cam. Images can be viewed on HVO's website at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/webcam.html?webcam=K3cam.

Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park. Most of Yellowstone's more than 10,000 thermal features are clustered together into about 120 distinct thermal areas (shown in red). Lakes are blue. The Yellowstone Caldera is solid black and the resurgent domes are dotted black. Roads are yellow.

Landsat-8 nighttime thermal infrared image from April 2017 showing the Tern Lake area. In Yellowstone, temperatures are extremely cold at night in the winter, and most lakes are frozen (dark pixels). West Tern Lake seems to be thawing here - perhaps it receives some thermal waters from nearby hot springs.

High-spatial-resolution airborne images of the Tern Lake area from 1994, 2006, and 2017. The area of bright pixels identified in the Landsat-8 thermal infrared image corresponds to a newly emerging area of warm ground and tree kills about 32,500 m² (8 acres, or 4 soccer fields) in area.

Native sulfur crystals precipitate at Sulphur Banks via a chemical reaction between different sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. USGS image by P. Nadeau.

HVO gas geochemists periodically collect gas samples at Sulphur Banks, near the Kīlauea Visitor Center, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Samples are analyzed for bulk chemistry and for helium isotopes. The results are compared to previous measurements to evaluate potential changes in activity at the volcano.

An HVO geologist removes the sampling tube following the gas collection. Inserting the tube down into the degassing source limits contamination of the volcanic gas sample by atmospheric gases. USGS image by P. Nadeau.

NASA Yellowstone astrobiology expedition team members stand in front of Great Fountain Geyser after completion of field work, February 28, 2019. Research conducted under Yellowstone Research Permit YELL-2019-SCI-8094.

COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) Interferogram for the period from April 6 to June 2, 2019, covering Kīlauea Volcano's summit region. Each color fringe represents 1.65 centimeters (0.65 inches) of ground displacement.

Montana State University students at an outcrop along Highway 20, in Idaho, sampling the Mesa Falls Tuff fall deposit exposed just beneath the ignimbrite. Photo by Madison Myers (Montana State University) on June 9, 2019.