Images

At Halema‘uma‘u, the lava has dropped over the past week to levels more typical of the last few months. Today, the lava was slightly below the deep inner ledge, with spattering along the southwest lake margin.

This view towards the southeast shows the vent area and upper lava tube system. In the lower right is Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, with a small circular lava lake in the northeast portion of the crater floor.

Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.

Mount Hood with Portland International Airport (Oregon) in the foreground. An ash-producing eruption of Mount Hood could ground air traffic and significantly impact commerce in surrounding states.

A close-up of spiny-textured pāhoehoe lava oozing out from a small crack in the crust.

pāhoehoe flows are still active on the coastal plain but have advanced little over the past week. On today's field visit, the active flow front was about 1.3 km (0.8 miles) from the ocean. In the background, the remains of Royal Gardens subdivision can be seen on the pali, with the fume sources marking the path of the lava tube.

A close-up of spiny-textured pāhoehoe lava oozing out from a small crack in the crust.

YVO Webcam, October 27, 2012. Webcam overlooks Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park.

The lava lake fills Overlook crater, about 160 m (525 ft) across, contained within Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The walls of Halema‘uma‘u Crater show white in the middle distance, while the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and NPS Jaggar Museum, perched on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera, are visible as a small bump on the horizon.

The lava lake fills Overlook crater, about 160 m (525 ft) across, contained within Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The walls of Halema‘uma‘u Crater show white in the middle distance, while the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and NPS Jaggar Museum, perched on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera, are visible as a small bump on the horizon.

Sunset, with the vigorous spattering source on the west margin of the lake visible.

Incandescent lines mark the boundaries between migrating crustal plates on the surface of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater. Here, and at other lava lakes across the world, these rifting zones have a characteristic zigzag pattern.

Incandescent lines mark the boundaries between migrating crustal plates on the surface of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater. Here, and at other lava lakes across the world, these rifting zones have a characteristic zigzag pattern.

Vigorous spattering was present this evening along the western margin of the summit lava lake. Occasional bursts, like the one shown here, appeared to send tiny bits of spatter up to the level of the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Sunset, with the vigorous spattering source on the west margin of the lake visible.

Close-up photo of the lava lake surface.

The lava lake in the 'overlook' vent in Halema‘uma‘u reached to within 38 m of the crater floor, filling the entire bottom of the vent.

Dust from a small rockfall coats a small section of the lava lake surface and wafts above the rockfall's impact scar.

View of the lava lake at Kīlauea's summit at sunset. The lake is about 42 m (138 ft) below the floor of Halema‘uma‘u.

A rebound splash from a small impacting rock jets several meters above the lake surface.

Lava erupting from a vent on the northeast flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō travels through tubes to the coastal plain, where surface flows are currently active. Holes in the roof of the lava tube, called skylights, reveal the lava stream contained within.