Images

Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scientist tests the network link between the instrument and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō was still close to its maximum height of 255 m (835 ft) in 1992 (top), although its western flank had been partly buried by a lava shield. Since then, the cone has lost a third of its former height due to collapses, and lava has continued to bury its flanks (bottom). USGS photos.

Why did the lava tube cross the road? This image shows the Peace Day lava tube coming down the pali in Royal Gardens subdivision. The lava tube parallels Ali`i avenue, shown by the straight line of warm temperatures that represent asphalt heated in the sun.

The spatter cone near the north rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater continues to produce pulsating gas jetting sounds. Compare this photo to one taken of the same cone on May 2 to see how much taller the cone has grown.

The small lava lake on the northeast rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater has been built into a small cone, with only a few small openings at the top. One of these small openings had sloshing lava near the surface.

Why did the lava tube cross the road? This image shows the Peace Day lava tube coming down the pali in Royal Gardens subdivision. The lava tube parallels Ali`i avenue, shown by the straight line of warm temperatures that represent asphalt heated in the sun.

The spatter cone near the north rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater continues to produce pulsating gas jetting sounds. Compare this photo to one taken of the same cone on May 2 to see how much taller the cone has grown.

The Kahauale`a II flow began as a breakout on the east rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater on May 6, and has advanced northward towards the forest. Today, slowly moving pāhoehoe lobes (light colored flows in this image) were burning moss and lichen on older Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō ‘A‘ā flows and approaching the forest boundary. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone is obscured by thick clouds in this photo.

The small lava lake on the northeast rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater has been built into a small cone, with only a few small openings at the top. One of these small openings had sloshing lava near the surface.

HVO geologists use a laser rangefinder to measure the height of the shield and cone built up around the northeast lava lake, on the east rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. The peak of the cone is now about 18 m (60 ft) above the former crater rim.

Do not be misguided by the risky actions of this person (upper right), who is standing on an active lava delta that could collapse without warning, amidst a plume of superheated steam, hydrochloric acid, and tiny particles of volcanic glass. To avoid these ocean entry hazards, HVO advises staying at least 400 m (one-quarter mile) from where lava enters the sea.

This false-color image obtained from NASA's Terra satellite on January 19, 2009, shows an ash plume (white plume spreading north, top) erupting from Chaitén Volcano. Red color indicates green vegetation.

This image was captured on Monday, May 6, by the Advanced Land Imager sensor aboard NASA's Earth Observing 1 satellite. Although this is a false-color image, the color map has been chosen to mimic what the human eye would expect to see. Bright red pixels depict areas of very high temperatures, and show active or very recently active lava flows.

Another entry point has two larger lava streams entering the water. The lava fragments due to cooling and disruption by the battering surf, and some of these pieces float on the water's surface in front of the entry point (see lower left portion of photo).

Over the past week this spatter cone on the floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater has been the source of several large, but brief, lava flows on the crater floor. Today, the cone was producing pulsating gas jetting sounds.

Over the past week this spatter cone on the floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater has been the source of several large, but brief, lava flows on the crater floor. Today, the cone was producing pulsating gas jetting sounds.

After a 12 km (7.5 mile) journey from the vent on Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone through a lava tube, lava pours into the ocean in narrow streams at one of the eastern entry points.

This is a typical GPS monitoring station example from Hualālai Volcano.

The September Lobe monitoring station is part of the network of monitoring stations that detects and reports subtle changes in the volcanic vent area. At 2150 m (about 7100 ft) elevation, maintenance is performed during good weather to keep the station fully functional.

Breakouts have diminished over the past few days on the Kahauale‘a flow (heading northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō), and the flow front has not advanced significantly since April 8. Compare today's thermal image with that from the April 8 overflight. During today's flight, there were no active breakouts at the flow front.

Lava erupted this morning from the cone near the north rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, with a small portion of the flow emptying out onto the east spillway. This new flow brings the floor of the crater slightly closer to the north crater rim.