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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Episode 61 (Peace Day) flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 (Peace Day) flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 (Peace Day) flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 (Peace Day) flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 (Peace Day) flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 ("Peace Day") flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 (“Peace Day”) flow field
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 flow: April 11, 2012
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 flow: March 20, 2012
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 flow: February 8, 2012
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.
Episode 61 flow: January 26, 2012
Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Episode 61 (Peace Day) flow: January 12, 2012
Map showing lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.
Kīlauea's summit lake between rain showers
A quick visit to the western caldera rim provided brief views of Kīlauea's summit lake between rain showers. The lake colors were particularly vibrant today, with a deep blue-green color in the western end (bottom of photo), with dark brown near the center. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
A virtual walk through Kīlauea Volcano’s summit history: Part 1
Join USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist emeritus Don Swanson on a virtual walk, during which you learn about the past 500 years of Kīlauea Volcano’s history as revealed by rocks, craters, and cracks.
A virtual walk through Kīlauea Volcano’s summit history: Part 2
Join USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist emeritus Don Swanson on a virtual walk, during which you learn about the past 500 years of Kīlauea Volcano’s history as revealed by rocks, craters, and cracks.
Upper Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano—October 22, 2020
View looking southwest along the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano. The unvegetated nature of the Southwest Rift Zone is on full display with the Keanakākoʻi Tephra in the foreground overlying lava flows from Cone Peak (the cone in the middle ground to the right). In the background are the cones of Puʻukoaʻe (left of center) and the Kamakaiʻa Hills (three hills in
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Map of Waiʻōhinu area, Island of Hawaiʻi
Map of Waiʻōhinu area, Island of Hawaiʻi, showing the location of the 3,740 year old age.
A virtual walk through Kīlauea Volcano’s summit history: Part 3
Join USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist emeritus Don Swanson on a virtual walk, during which you learn about the past 500 years of Kīlauea Volcano’s history as revealed by rocks, craters, and cracks.
Emerging tech as STEM platforms in problem-based learning (Kīlauea)
USGS–Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Geophysicist Jefferson Chang talks about technologies that track activity at Hawaiian volcanoes and how crowdsourcing and citizen science can contribute to a greater understanding of hazards, in this presentation to the 2020 SACNAS Advancing Hispanics/Chicanos & Native Americans in Science virtual conference held October 19-24, 2020 (
Close-up image of native sulfur crystals
A close-up image of native sulfur crystals that formed within fumaroles at the Sulphur Banks in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In addition to sulfur species and other gases, volcanoes emit water vapor. Here, some of the vapor has condensed to liquid water and formed droplets visible on the sulfur crystals. USGS photo by P. Nadeau.
Tubing inserted into a fumarole
Tubing inserted into a fumarole at the Sulphur Banks in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park allows HVO gas scientists to sample gas. The gas travels through the tube into gas sampling bottles for later analyses. USGS photo by M. Warren.
Video of the water lake at Kīlauea's summit
This video, taken on September 23, 2020, shows a small area of bubbling or upwelling along the western shoreline of the water lake at the summit of Kīlauea. This feature may result from a submerged fumarole (gas vent) on the crater wall. The extent of this feature is limited and it does not seem to have a significant effect on the overall lake surface activity. No other
Kīlauea's summit water lake comparison - September 23, 2020
HVO geologists made observations of Kīlauea's summit water lake from the east rim of Halema‘uma‘u. This view point is on the large downdropped block that subsided during the 2018 collapse events. From this spot, a view of the entire lake is possible, providing a new perspective on the growth of the lake. The last visit to this spot was on December 18, 2019, when the lake
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Kīlauea's water lake from the east side - September 23, 2020
This view shows Kīlauea's water lake from the east side of the crater. On September 23, 2020, the western portion of the lake (top of image) was the most varied in color, with patches of greenish and brown water. The majority of the lake surface, however, was the typical tan hue. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
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.
With ash eruptions occurring from Kilauea’s summit this week, there is a threat of an even larger steam-driven violent explosion. Such an eruption could happen suddenly and send volcanic ash 20,000 feet into the air, threatening communities for miles.
False rumors about the ongoing volcanic activity at the summit and lower East Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano are causing unnecessary anxiety and confusion. We encourage everyone to check the source of any information you read or hear to be sure that it's factual, accurate, and timely.
Addresses speculative stories, rumors and blogs about the stability of the south flank of Kīlauea and the potential for a catastrophic collapse that could generate a Pacific-wide tsunami.
Last week's Volcano Watch focused on the East Rift Zone eruption, which continues to impact the lower Puna District on the Island of Hawai‘i. Changes in the eruption are occurring daily, if not hourly, so by the time you read this article, the situation will likely have changed. Nevertheless, here's the status of the eruption as of Friday, May 11 (when this was written):
The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN) has a new resource for the current eruptive activity and associated hazards at Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone and summit. Find it at https://vog.ivhhn.org.
The Preliminary Analysis of Current Explosion Hazards at the Summit of Kilauea Volcano, May 8, 2018 - Cooperator Report to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park addresses possible and potential impacts of future explosive events at Kīlauea's summit. Accompanies the May 9, 2018 community meeting presentation.
Short-lived explosion at Halema‘uma‘u crater, 8:27 a.m. HST
The steady lowering of the lava lake in "Overlook crater" within HALEMAUMAU at the summit of KILAUEA Volcano has raised the potential for explosive eruptions in the coming weeks.
Representatives of the news media are invited to join a telephone briefing for the latest updates on Kīlauea's volcanic activity and its impacts.
Cracks and fissures in lower East Rift Zone
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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