Unified Interior Regions
Hawaii
The Pacific Region has nine USGS Science Centers in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight and support, facilitates internal and external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science directions.
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Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Small-scale map of flow field
This small-scale map shows Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow in relation to lower Puna.
Satellite image shows June 27th lava flow
This satellite image was captured on Saturday, May 30, by the Advanced Land Imager instrument onboard NASA's Earth Observing 1 satellite.
Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Landsat satellite image shows June 27th lava flow
This satellite image was captured on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 by the Landsat 8 satellite.
Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Landsat satellite image shows June 27th flow
This satellite image was captured on Monday, April 20, 2015 by the Landsat 8 satellite.
Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Map show flow field with thermal overlays
This map overlays georegistered mosaics of thermal images collected during a helicopter overflight of the three areas of breakouts near Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on April 3.
Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Map showing flow field changes
This map shows the changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Video of UAS water sampling, Kīlauea summit
This video shows another view of the unmanned aircraft system sampling water from Halema‘uma‘u. USGS video by C. Parcheta, 26 Oct 2019.
Unoccupied Aircraft System is inspected by pilot just before take off
The sampling mechanism (on blue tarp) is prepared and the Unoccupied Aircraft System (UAS) is inspected just before take off to collect water from the Halema‘uma‘u crater lake. Brightly colored flagging tape tied to a cable attached to the UAS indicated depth as the sampling tool was lowered into the water.
Unoccupied Aircraft System returning with a water sample.
USGS-HVO scientists and DOI UAS team members collect samples of water from the Halema‘uma‘u crater lake.
Timelapse video of the water pond at Kīlauea summit
This timelapse video covers 1.5 hours and shows the motion of the water surface at the summit of Kīlauea. Along the shoreline, areas of apparent water influx are visible, often with a slightly greener color. Shifting steam on the surface attests to the high temperature of the water and the winds at the bottom of the crater. The contrast has been enhanced to highlight the
Water appears in Halemaʻumaʻu - Kīlauea Volcano
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists Matt Patrick and Jim Kauahikaua talk about the water that appeared at the bottom of Halemaʻumaʻu, a crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, in July 2019 and continues to rise today. They address why it appeared, how it’s monitored, and its potential hazards.
Timelapse view of the Kīlauea summit water pond
This timelapse video covers about 30 minutes of activity at the water pond in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea. Water appears to be flowing into the pond from several locations, including the southern boundary (right side in this image). A small amount of material is also seen floating on the surface at the eastern end of the pond (top of image). The video is shown
Video of circulation in the Halema‘uma‘u water pond
This time-lapse video shows circulation in the water pond in Halema‘uma‘u over a period of about 25 minutes. There appears to be an influx of water along the southern (right) shoreline. A broader eastward flow of water (toward top of image) is evident. The video is shown twice. USGS video.
Two views of the Halema‘uma‘u water pond
Views of the water pond in Halema‘uma‘u on Friday, September 6, and Monday, September 9 are shown in this video. Ripples are evident on the pond, presumably due to wind moving over the water surface. No significant changes in the pond were observed over the weekend, and the water level continues to slowly rise. USGS video by M. Patrick.
Changing activity on the surface of the Halema‘uma‘u water pond
Shown at 30x speed, this video highlights changing activity on the surface of the water pond. Steam wafting above the pond shifts in the wind, and circulation of the water is evident in areas of sharp color boundaries. USGS video by M. Patrick, 09-17-2019.
Overview of Hawaii high-resolution SWAN model grids
Overview of the high-resolution model grids from: “Dynamically downscaled future wave projections from SWAN model results for the main Hawaiian Islands”
early morning view looking north across Moku‘āweoweo
An early morning view looking north across Moku‘āweoweo, Mauna Loa's summit caldera, from a spot near the summit cabin on the volcano's south caldera rim. Frost covered much of the caldera floor that was still shadowed, and weak steaming issued from the usual areas. Overall, there were no significant changes observed at the summit. The 1940 and 1949 cones are visible in
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Video close-up of the fumaroles on the north side of Halema‘uma‘u
This sequence captured on August 31 begins with a close-up of the fumaroles on the north side of Halema‘uma‘u, then shows a broader view of the crater with the water pond at the bottom and a close-up of steaming and ripples on the water surface. USGS video by M. Patrick, 08-31-2019.
At the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Halema‘uma‘u has changed dramatically since early May 2018. As the crater walls and inner caldera slump inward, the depth of Halema‘uma‘u has more than tripled and the diameter has more than doubled.
These FAQs will help answer some of the most commonly asked questions about the nature of Kīlauea's summit activity and the numerous earthquakes occurring in the area.
This "Cooperator Report to the U.S. Coast Guard" addresses hazards associated with the Kamokuna ocean entry, active July 2016—November 2017, on KILAUEA's south flank
On June 18, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff said a sad goodbye to a GPS instrument that had faithfully recorded over 95 m (310 ft) of downward motion of the floor of Kīlauea caldera before losing radio contact.
For more than six months, earthquakes at Mauna Loa have diminished and deformation has slowed, indicating that the volcano is no longer at an elevated level of unrest. On June 21, 2018, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) lowered the alert level from ADVISORY to NORMAL, and lowered the color code from YELLOW to GREEN.
When volcanic gases are released into the atmosphere, resulting plumes sometimes appear to have a faint color. Is this color indicative of a certain gas present? Answering this question requires describing what makes a plume visible in the first place.
Caly isn't likely to wonder off off, but with a remote camera and monitoring station online 24-hours a day, USGS and partners at the State of Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Hawai‘i, and the USFWS can learn how an extremely rare plant is responding to changes in environmental conditions.
Small explosions that produce ashfall from Kīlauea Volcano's summit are not new. However, the mechanism, vigor, plume heights, and extent of ash fallout from the current explosive activity within Halema‘uma‘u are.
With the current activity at the volcano's lower East Rift Zone and summit, it's an understatement to say that Kīlauea has been making worldwide headlines the past month.
Deflation at Kīlauea's summit has caused up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) of subsidence, which has stressed the faults around and within Kīlauea Caldera.
Numerous hazards are associated with active lava flows, and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists have written about many of them in past Volcano Watch articles. However, it's been a while since one particular hazard—so-called "methane explosions"—has been addressed.
An explanation of magma movement from Kīlauea's summit through the volcano's East Rift Zone and to the eruption site(s) in lower Puna.
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Locations
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Phone: (808) 985-6420
Fax: (808) 967-8568
Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center
Pacific Islands Water Science Center
Phone: 808-690-9600
Fax: 808-690-9599
O'ahu Field Station
Phone: 808-690-9571
Fax: 808-690-9599
National Wildlife Health Center, Honolulu Field Station
Phone: (808) 792-9520
Fax: (808) 792-9596