Images

Emily Bryant works as a student intern at the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.

Joel Robinson is a geographer and GIS specialist with the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.

Ben Pauk is a geophysicist based at the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.

Sally Sennert works with the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program and the USGS Volcano Hazards Program.

Jim Kauahikaua is a volcano scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. 

Activity was very low during the helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, on the morning of December 21. This view shows the west vent (near center) and the western part of the lava lake, where only a tiny portion of the surface was weakly active. The lava lake, which is in a state of pause, now has exposed walls due to a drop in the surface.

E. Frank Younger is an expert in scientific instrumentation at the U.S. Geological SurveyHawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Allan Lerner is a volcano gas geochemist who has worked with several USGS volcano observatories.

Michael Albert Mitchell is a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow working with the USGS Volcano Science Center.

An aerial view of the western portion of Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, during the December 21 helicopter overflight. Eruptive activity is paused, and only a weak gas plume was being emitted from the west vent (center right). Just north of (below) the west vent, a tiny pad of lava remained weakly active within the lake. USGS photo taken by D. Downs.

The lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, has slowly continued to rise over the past month. As the lake level rises, lava has flowed onto the lowest part of the lowest down-dropped block (right) from the 2018 Kīlauea summit collapse.

Wendy McCausland is a volcano seismologist who works with the Cascades Volcano Observatory to help understand volcanic seismicity and its use in eruption forecastings.

Kevin Pesola is an administrative support specialist with the USGS Volcano Science Center. He is based at the Cascades Volcano Observatory.

Arthur Jolly is a research geophysicist who is based out of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

A small amount of lava spatter was thrown from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 20, 2021. Lava continued to flow into the lake from a source north (left) of the main vent cone. Multiple sources of degassing can be seen on and around the vent cone. USGS photo by B. Carr.

A small amount of lava spatter was thrown from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 20, 2021. Lava continued to flow into the lake from a source north (left) of the main vent cone. Multiple sources of degassing can be seen on and around the vent cone. USGS photo by B. Carr.

A close-up view of the steep cone recently built over the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. Spatter was occasionally thrown over the rim onto the flanks of the cone. USGS photo taken by E. Gallant on December 17, 2021.

Brian Meyers is science support staff with the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.

D. Kirk Nordstrom is a research hydrologist emeritus with the United States Geological Survey. 

Taryn Plummer is an administrative operations assistant with the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage, Alaska.

John Power works with the Alaska Volcano Observatory and specializes in volcano seismology, geophysics, and eruption forecasting.