Growth of a passive lava lake during the 2020–2021 eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawaii
December 5, 2025
We investigate the growth of a passive lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater during the December 2020 to May 2021 eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawaii. Fed by vents above their surfaces, the formation of passive lava lakes in topographic lows is an important process in the growth of basaltic volcanoes. We captured visible and thermal images during 17 helicopter overflights and applied structure-from-motion photogrammetry to create digital elevation models and orthomosaics of Halemaʻumaʻu. These data products allowed us to track eruptive activity and processes. The bulk time-averaged discharge rate (TADR) in December 2020 initially exceeded 100 m3 s–1 but decreased to
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Title | Growth of a passive lava lake during the 2020–2021 eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawaii |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00445-025-01867-4 |
| Authors | Brett Carr, Matthew Patrick, Hannah R. Dietterich, Michael Zoeller, Carolyn Parcheta, Drew Downs, Patricia Nadeau, Christoper Hamilton |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Bulletin of Volcanology |
| Index ID | 70273145 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Volcano Science Center |