Images

This photo shows a crack in spatter and lava previously erupted on the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea, with a geologist for scale. The crack likely widened during the recent intrusion southwest of the summit of Kīlauea.

On Saturday, February 3, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo scientists and students, and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff, conducted a survey of the Koa‘e fault system to measure changes during the recent intrusive activity southwest of Kīlauea summit caldera. In this photo, two people brace the leveling rod against the strong winds that day.

On February 3, 2024, a team of HVO scientists documented new ground cracks caused by the intrusion at Kīlauea southwest of the summit caldera. These cracks were observed along the Maunaiki Trail in the Ka‘ū Desert region of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

On February 6, 2024, HVO geologists conducted an overflight of the Koa‘e fault system, south of Kīlauea caldera, and the Southwest Rift Zone to assess cracks observed by ground crews in the area over the weekend. This view shows lava flows from the 1971 Southwest Rift Zone eruption; Kīlauea caldera is visible to the northeast. USGS photo by H. Winslow.

This map shows recent unrest at Kīlauea volcano. Yellow circles mark earthquake locations from January 31, 2024, through February 3, 2024, as recorded by HVO seismometers. Seismicity began early January 31 in the summit region and shifted to the southwest along the Koa‘e fault system late on January 31, 2024.

Earthquakes located by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on February 2, 2024. USGS image. 

This image shows ground deformation during the recent intrusive activity at Kīlauea volcano. Unlike previous shared interferograms, note that this one is isolated to a one-day timeframe from 6 p.m. HST on January 31 through 6 p.m. HST on February 1, 2024. It therefore highlights the volcanic signals, with reduced interference from sources of data noise.

This map shows recent unrest at Kīlauea volcano. Yellow circles mark earthquake locations from January 31, 2024 through 6:00 a.m. HST February 2, 2024, as recorded by HVO seismometers. Seismicity began early January 31 in the summit region and shifted to the southwest along the Koa‘e fault system late on January 31, 2024.

HVO deployed two temporary GPS monitoring instruments in the Ka‘ū Desert, with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. These sites will improve monitoring, hazard analysis, event response, and situational awareness in response to the volcanic unrest at Kīlauea that starting late January 2024.

One of the temporary GPS stations deployed in response to the intrusive activity southwest of Kīlauea summit. The metal disk on the ground beneath the tripod is the benchmark, which is cemented to the lava flow surface. A high-precision GPS unit is centered over the benchmark to collect data.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory lead electronics technician Kevan Kamibayashi helps to deploy a temporary GPS monitoring instrument in the Ka‘ū Desert of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff deployed a temporary GPS monitoring instruments in the Ka‘ū Desert, with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on February 2, 2024. The site will improve monitoring, hazard analysis, event response, and situational awareness in response to the volcanic unrest at Kīlauea that starting late January 2024. USGS photo by A.

On February 2, 2024, a temporary GPS monitoring instrument was deployed at a location with existing HVO geophysical volcano monitoring instrumentation. The site is telemetered and will transmit data back to HVO that will aid in monitoring the Southwest Rift Zone region of Kīlauea volcano. USGS photo by A. Ellis.

Unrest continues at Kīlauea with heightened seismic activity and ground tilt changes. On January 31, HVO geologists were stationed on the west rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) to document the onset of any eruptive activity at the summit. Numerous earthquakes shook the rim and frequent rockfalls occurred on the walls of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Recent maintenance work was done on the KWcam (webcam) and F1cam (thermal camera), which are primary cameras used for monitoring activity at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This map shows recent unrest at Kīlauea volcano. Yellow circles mark earthquake locations from January 31, 2024, through noon on February 1, 2024, as recorded by HVO seismometers. Seismicity began early January 31 in the summit region and shifted to the southwest along the Koa‘e fault system late on January 31, 2024.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited HVO's former office at Uēkahuna bluff, on Kīlauea's caldera rim, for likely the last time. Their job was to remove the remaining webcams in the observation tower of the Okamura Building, above the former Jaggar Museum. Here, one of the geologists dismantles a webcam with Mauna Loa volcano in the background.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited HVO's former office at Uēkahuna bluff, on Kīlauea's caldera rim, for likely the last time. Their job was to remove the remaining webcams in the observation tower of the Okamura Building, above the former Jaggar Museum.

A cross section of proposed magma plumbing system beneath the surface of Kīlauea. “H” marks the Halema‘uma‘u reservoir; “SC” marks the south caldera reservoir; “K” marks the Keanakāko‘i reservoir; “HKIT” notes a connection between the Halema‘uma‘u reservoir and Kīlauea Iki; SWRZ denotes Southwest Rift Zone.

This map shows recent unrest at Kīlauea volcano. Yellow circles mark earthquake locations from November 30, 2023 through January 8, 2024, as recorded by HVO seismometers.

Map showing the path that Rev. William Ellis took walking from the summit of Kīlauea to Kealakomo on August 2, 1823.