Images

An HVO geologist sets up a webcam to monitor active flows on the coastal plain.

Higher up on the flow field, fume marks the trace of the lava tube. In the lower left portion of the photograph, a glowing skylight can be seen. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is visible near the top of the photo.

This thermal image, looking west, shows the meager activity out on the flow field today, due to an ongoing deflation event at the summit. On the coastal plain, the red and orange areas depict flows that have been active over the past two weeks, but are now stalled.

A small pāhoehoe lobe slowly flows into a crack on the flow field.

pāhoehoe flows remain active on the upper coastal plain, extending a few hundred meters out from the base of the pali. The activity today was relatively sluggish, likely because of a recent deflation phase at the summit.

A) Example of an ashmeter deployed in the backyard of Rodrigo Ruiz on January 14, 2012 (Pillate); B) An example of a thin (1.1 mm-thick) deposit collected March 14, 2012 in Pillate, from the February 4, 2012 eruption. From Bernard (2013).

pāhoehoe flows were active on the coastal plain today, but extended only about 400 m (440 yards) out from the base of the pali. These flows have about 2.8 km (1.7 miles) more to travel to reach the ocean. Farther up the hill, on the steep lower portion of the pali, several active ‘A‘ā cascades are visible.

Volcano monitoring stations must be designed to withstand harsh winter conditions.

Volcanically-heated water of Loowit Creek flows from Mount St. Helens' crater through Loowit Channel.

USGS scientist repairs the Loowit AFM station above Loowit Falls.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jaggar Museum, shown in this photo, sit atop the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. The snow-capped summit of Mauna Loa, nearly 10,000 feet higher than Kīlauea, looms in the background.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jaggar Museum, shown in this photo, sit atop the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. The snow-capped summit of Mauna Loa, nearly 10,000 feet higher than Kīlauea, looms in the background.

Southerly winds afforded a rare view of the south side of the Overlook vent in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, within Kīlauea's caldera. The collapse crater that defines the opening of the vent is about 160 m (~525 ft) across and 80 m (~260 ft) deep. The fence for the old tourist overlook is faintly visible at the upper right side of the photo.

The channelized flow show here just reaching the base of the Pulama pali is the leading edge of flows that destroyed the last occupied house in the Royal Gardens subdivision. One abandoned structure still stands.

This composite image is an overlay of a thermal image over a normal photograph, and shows the active flows traveling down the pali, through Royal Gardens subdivision. The names of the roads not covered by lava are shown in white text. The last occupied residence in Royal Gardens is just west of the Plumeria-Hoku intersection.

Hawai‘i Island 4th grade student Jyron Young was awarded the Grand Prize in HVO's centennial poster contest for his stunning artwork depicting 100 years of volcano watching (top center). All ten winning posters are posted on HVO's website at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/. USGS photo.

At the front of the active flow field, several narrow streams of lava were active, reflecting a relatively high level of activity today.

This photograph shows the east rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. A collapsed spatter cone revealed a swiftly flowing stream of lava heading northeast, into the tube system that supplies the active flow field. The active flows today were 6 km (3.7 miles) southeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

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

Preview image for video: begins with a view of lava in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō made possible by a small collapse pit. The lava is swiftly moving towards the northeast, and this represents lava within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater that is entering the lava tube system which, in turn, feeds the active flow field.

This image of a dusty plume produced by rocks collapsing from the wall of the eruptive vent within Kīlauea Volcano's Halema‘uma‘u Crater was captured by a USGS time-lapse camera on December 21, 2011. Vigorous spattering on the lava lake deep within the vent created the orange glow visible at the base of the plume.