Images

In this video taken from the Leilani Estates subdivision, lava at fissure 8 pulses above the cinder cone adding fragments of lava (spatter) that build the cone higher. From fissure 8, lava flows freely over small cascades (rapids) into a well-established channel. Near the vent, lava is traveling about 24 km per hour (15 mi per hour).

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist measures the height of the growing tephra cone around fissure 8 during Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption.

LERZ Fissure 8 on June 5, 2018 - The sun is behind the observer taking this photo, making the plume appear bluish due to sunlight scattering by tiny sulfate aerosols. The gas plume is against a very dark cloud background, so that no backlighting is affecting the plume view. Photo credit: Allan Lerner, USGS Volunteer

A volcanic gas cloud over the LERZ on May 19, 2018 - In this picture, the sun is illuminating the volcanic gas plume from behind. The plume appears orange in color, as the blue component of the sunlight has been preferentially removed by scattering on tiny sulfate aerosols.

Lava from fissure 8 travels about 13 km (8 mi) down a well established channel (visible in the center of the image) to an ocean entry at Kapoho. Lava is building a seaward delta that is approximately 320 acres in size. The view is to the southwest with the Kapoho area in the lower right.

Lava from fissure 8 travels about 13 km (8 mi) down a well established channel (visible in the center of the image) to an ocean entry at Kapoho. Lava is building a seaward delta that is approximately 320 acres in size. The view is to the southwest with the Kapoho area in the lower right. The white plume is the vigorous ocean entry at Vacationland.

View of the active ocean entry in the vicinity of Vacationland. The interaction of hot lava with the ocean creates "laze", a corrosive seawater plume laden with hydrochloric acid and fine volcanic particles that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs, but that dissipates quickly with distance.

View of the active ocean entry in the vicinity of Vacationland. The interaction of hot lava with the ocean creates "laze", a corrosive seawater plume laden with hydrochloric acid and fine volcanic particles that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs, but that dissipates quickly with distance.

At Kīlauea Volcano's summit, inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halema‘uma‘u continues in response to ongoing subsidence. In this view to the southwest taken after this morning's event, a section of dark-colored wall rock (center left) has detached and dropped downward into the crater.

Fissure 8 produces a lava fountain that pulses to heights of 55 to 60 m (185 to 200 ft). Spattering has built a cinder cone that partially encircles fissure 8, now 51 m (170 ft) tall at its highest point. The steam in the foreground is the result of heavy morning rain falling on warm (not hot) tephra (lava fragments).

Photograph taken during helicopter overflight captures fissure 8 lava fountain.

This animated GIF shows a sequence of radar amplitude images that were acquired by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana CosmoSkyMed satellite system. The images illustrate changes to the caldera area of Kīlauea Volcano that occurred between May 5 and June 14 at about 6:00 a.m. HST.

The ocean entry remains fairly broad with a white steam/laze plume blowing onshore. USGS image taken June 15, 2018.

This thermal map shows the fissure system and lava flows as of 6 am on Thursday June 14. The fountain at Fissure 8 remains active, with the lava flow entering the ocean at Kapoho. Very small, weak lava flows have been active recently near the Fissure 16/18 area. The black and white area is the extent of the thermal map.

This animated GIF shows a sequence of radar amplitude images that were acquired by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana CosmoSkyMed satellite system. The images illustrate changes to the caldera area of Kīlauea Volcano that occurred between May 5 and June 14 at about 6:00 a.m. HST.

Map as of 10:00 a.m. HST, June 15, 2018.

Lava fountains from Fissure 8 reach heights of 200 ft overnight. The cinder and spatter cone that is building around the fissure is now about 165 ft at its highest point.

The Fissure 8 viewed from the north at 7:50 AM. The cone is roughly 50 m (165 ft) high at is peak, and a plume of sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases rises as an orange tinge from the erupting lava fountains (hidden within the cone). Lava is still flowing out of the ventunabated as a full channel.

Several laze plumes rise along the ocean entry margin as break outs feed many small and large flows. The largest Pāhoehoe breakout area is on the northern margin of the flow.

A close up view of the pāhoehoe breakouts along the northern ocean entry.

Fissure 8 fountains to heights of 130-140 ft. The lava spatter chills and the fragments are building a cone on the downwind side, now nearly as tall as the fountain itself.