Images

Clear day during tradewind conditions at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Gas plume rising from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Gas plume from Halema‘uma‘u Crater from the overlook at Jaggar Museum, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Volcanic-gas plume rises from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

A plume of volcanic gases (chiefly water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide), tiny lava and rock particles, and droplets drifts southwest in the tradewinds from Halema‘uma‘u Crater.

Photograph of the Old Faithful Geyser erupting in Yellowstone Nationl Park. Old Faithful was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Yellowstone expedition and was the first geyser in the Park to be named.

May 2, 2008, Chaitén volcano in Chile erupted with an ash column that rose to about 17 km (10 mi) and lasted for 6 hours. Activity continued into 2009, including this ash emission on May 27, 2008.

View of Chaitén lava dome looking north, on May 26, 2008. Note simultaneous explosion and effusion of new lava on left-central side of dome. Caldera is about 3 km wide.

All visible streets and the nearby airport were buried in 3 to 6 feet of mud, and the city harbor was destroyed.

Close view of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (right, with viewing tower) and National Park Service Jaggar Museum and overlook (left) on Kīlauea Volcano's caldera rim. At least three fault blocks can be seen below the observatory, which developed when Kīlauea's summit collapsed about 500 years ago to form the present-day caldera.

U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory perched on the rim of Kīlauea Volcano's summit caldera, Hawai‘i

Gas plume drifts southwest in the tradewinds over the Halema‘uma‘u Crater parking lot and Crater Rim Drive. View is toward the east-northeast. From left to right, the broad cones on the skyline are Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō (note steam plume), and the Kane Nui o Hamo and Mauna Ulu shields.

This section of Crater Rim Drive in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was closed in February 2008 because of the high concentration of volcanic gas blowing across the road from Halema‘uma‘u Crater by prevailing trade winds. The concentration of sulfur dioxide gas in this area is considered hazardous to human health.

Volcanic air pollution, commonly called volcanic smog or vog, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano created by the gas plume rising from Halema‘uma‘u Crater during slack tradewinds. High vog levels result in regionally hazy sky conditions that degrade air clarity and reduce visibility for everyone.

Volcanic-gas plume rises from Halema‘uma‘u Crater as seen from the Jaggar Museum (Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park) viewing area next to the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Volcanic-gas plume rising from summit of Kīlauea Volcano as seen from Highway 11, Hawai‘i

Volcanic gas plume rises from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Volcanic gas plume rises from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

Roof Cleaning in Futaleufu, Chile, following the 2008 eruption of Chaitén volcano. Note that the person should be protected from falling and should not be placing the shovel in contact with the roof, which could cause damage.

Strong tradewinds blow the gas plume from the Overlook vent in Halema‘uma‘u Crater to the southwest. Photograph taken at 4:37 a.m. HST.

Kīlauea Volcano's summit vent within Halema‘uma‘u Crater was about 115 feet in diameter in April 2008, a month after it opened.