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Kīlauea images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.

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Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field...
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow (pink) in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of June 17, 2014. The most distant active Kahauale‘a 2 lava flows were 7.1 km (4.4 miles) straight-line distance northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow (pink) in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of June 17, 2014. The most distant active Kahauale‘a 2 lava flows were 7.1 km (4.4 miles) straight-line distance northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

Color photograph and thermal image of lava pond
Withdrawal of magma within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō
Withdrawal of magma within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō
Withdrawal of magma within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō

As noted above, the new flows have caused withdrawal of magma within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and small collapses of the several cones on the crater floor.

As noted above, the new flows have caused withdrawal of magma within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and small collapses of the several cones on the crater floor.

Color photograph of crater floor with lava
Minor subsidence of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor
Minor subsidence of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor
Minor subsidence of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor

The withdrawal of magma from within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, to feed the new flows, has caused minor subsidence of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor since this morning. This was associated with small collapses at the spatter cones on the crater floor.

The withdrawal of magma from within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, to feed the new flows, has caused minor subsidence of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor since this morning. This was associated with small collapses at the spatter cones on the crater floor.

Image: Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone
Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone
Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone
Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Geochemist Jeff Sutton and CSAV international volcanology students visit a continuous gas monitoring site on Kilauea's east rift zone during field studies portion of the summer training course.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Geochemist Jeff Sutton and CSAV international volcanology students visit a continuous gas monitoring site on Kilauea's east rift zone during field studies portion of the summer training course.

Image: Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone II
Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone II
Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone II
Monitoring Volcanic Gases on Kilauea's East Rift Zone II

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Geochemist Jeff Sutton and CSAV international volcanology students visit a continuous gas monitoring site on Kilauea's east rift zone during field studies portion of the summer training course.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Geochemist Jeff Sutton and CSAV international volcanology students visit a continuous gas monitoring site on Kilauea's east rift zone during field studies portion of the summer training course.

Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field...
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of April 28, 2014. The most distant active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow was just over 8.3 km (5.2 miles) straight-line distance northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. Two other flows were also active on the flanks of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, each erupting from a different vent.

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of April 28, 2014. The most distant active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow was just over 8.3 km (5.2 miles) straight-line distance northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. Two other flows were also active on the flanks of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, each erupting from a different vent.

Kīlauea Volcano's Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow: Should Puna residents be...
Kīlauea's Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow
Kīlauea's Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow
Kīlauea's Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow

The Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow, as of April 18, 2014, is shown in pink, with a yellow line indicating the active lava tube. The most distant active front of the flow retreated over the past week, probably in response to a DI event. The area covered by older lava flows erupted from Kīlauea in 1983-2013 is shown in gray.

The Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow, as of April 18, 2014, is shown in pink, with a yellow line indicating the active lava tube. The most distant active front of the flow retreated over the past week, probably in response to a DI event. The area covered by older lava flows erupted from Kīlauea in 1983-2013 is shown in gray.

Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field...
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of April 18, 2014. The most distant active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow had retreated slightly, probably in response to a DI event which occurred at Kīlauea's summit over past week, and was 7.5 km (4.7 miles) northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of April 18, 2014. The most distant active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow had retreated slightly, probably in response to a DI event which occurred at Kīlauea's summit over past week, and was 7.5 km (4.7 miles) northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field...
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field
Small-scale map of Kīlauea's ERZ flow field

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of April 7, 2014. The active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow was 8.2 km (5.1 miles) northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and advancing very slowly through thick forest.

Map showing the Kahauale‘a 2 flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i as of April 7, 2014. The active front of the Kahauale‘a 2 flow was 8.2 km (5.1 miles) northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and advancing very slowly through thick forest.

UHH is part of the HVO team monitoring Kīlauea eruptions...
UHH is part of the HVO team monitoring Kīlauea eruptions
UHH is part of the HVO team monitoring Kīlauea eruptions
UHH is part of the HVO team monitoring Kīlauea eruptions

Scanning Electron Microscope images, collected at UH Hilo, showing a fragment of lava collected from the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava pond in November 2013. The bar scale at the right is 300 microns (0.012 in). The mostly uniform light gray is basalt glass and darker gray crystals are olivine (left) and pyroxene (right).

Scanning Electron Microscope images, collected at UH Hilo, showing a fragment of lava collected from the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava pond in November 2013. The bar scale at the right is 300 microns (0.012 in). The mostly uniform light gray is basalt glass and darker gray crystals are olivine (left) and pyroxene (right).

Satellite image shows Kīlauea's activity from summit to east rift z...
Satellite image shows Kīlauea's activity from summit to ERZ
Satellite image shows Kīlauea's activity from summit to ERZ
Satellite image shows Kīlauea's activity from summit to ERZ

This image was acquired by the Earth Observing 1 satellite's Advanced Land Imager sensor on February 2, and shows Kīlauea's summit and east rift zone. Although this is a false-color image, the color map has been chosen to mimic what the human eye would expect to see.

This image was acquired by the Earth Observing 1 satellite's Advanced Land Imager sensor on February 2, and shows Kīlauea's summit and east rift zone. Although this is a false-color image, the color map has been chosen to mimic what the human eye would expect to see.

Two talks about Kīlauea Volcano at UH-Hilo...
Two talks about Kīlauea at UH-Hilo
Two talks about Kīlauea at UH-Hilo
Two talks about Kīlauea at UH-Hilo

During the first few hours of the Kamoamoa fissure eruption in March 2011, lava bubbled to the surface through a ground crack that propagated along Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone. How it and other Hawaiian fissure eruptions work will be the topic of a talk at UH-Hilo on January 16, 2014.

During the first few hours of the Kamoamoa fissure eruption in March 2011, lava bubbled to the surface through a ground crack that propagated along Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone. How it and other Hawaiian fissure eruptions work will be the topic of a talk at UH-Hilo on January 16, 2014.

It was remarkably clear during today's overflight of Kīlauea's east...
It was remarkably clear during today's overflight of Kīlauea's ERZ....
It was remarkably clear during today's overflight of Kīlauea's ERZ....
It was remarkably clear during today's overflight of Kīlauea's ERZ....

It was remarkably clear during today's overflight of Kīlauea's east rift zone. This photo is taken from Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and looks northwest. Mauna Kea is at the right, and Mauna Loa is at the left. In front of the summit of Mauna Loa, the degassing plume from the lava lake at Kīlauea's summit is rising vertically.

It was remarkably clear during today's overflight of Kīlauea's east rift zone. This photo is taken from Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and looks northwest. Mauna Kea is at the right, and Mauna Loa is at the left. In front of the summit of Mauna Loa, the degassing plume from the lava lake at Kīlauea's summit is rising vertically.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jaggar Museum, Kīlauea Volcano, Ha...
HVO and Jaggar Museum, Kīlauea, HI
HVO and Jaggar Museum, Kīlauea, HI
HVO and Jaggar Museum, Kīlauea, HI

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and Jaggar Museum are located at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, and are visible atop the cliff to the right, on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera. HVO is about 2 km (1.25 miles) north-northwest of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, fuming (but not directly visible) at the left edge of the photo.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and Jaggar Museum are located at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, and are visible atop the cliff to the right, on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera. HVO is about 2 km (1.25 miles) north-northwest of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, fuming (but not directly visible) at the left edge of the photo.

Small explosion at Halema`uma`u lava lake (Kīlauea, Hawaii)....
Small explosion at Halema`uma`u lava lake (Kīlauea, Hawaii).
Small explosion at Halema`uma`u lava lake (Kīlauea, Hawaii).
Small explosion at Halema`uma`u lava lake (Kīlauea, Hawaii).

At 9:48 PM on Friday, August 23, 2013, a collapse of a piece of the wall above the lava lake in Halema`uma`u triggered a small explosion. The explosion bombarded the rim of Halema`uma`u around the old visitor overlook with molten gobs of spatter as big as dinner plates.

At 9:48 PM on Friday, August 23, 2013, a collapse of a piece of the wall above the lava lake in Halema`uma`u triggered a small explosion. The explosion bombarded the rim of Halema`uma`u around the old visitor overlook with molten gobs of spatter as big as dinner plates.

Lava enters ocean at Kupapa‘u Point, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. Phot...
Lava enters ocean at Kupapa‘u Point, Kīlauea, Hawai‘i. Photographed...
Lava enters ocean at Kupapa‘u Point, Kīlauea, Hawai‘i. Photographed...
Lava enters ocean at Kupapa‘u Point, Kīlauea, Hawai‘i. Photographed...

Lava enters ocean at Kupapa‘u Point, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. Photographed with a telephoto lens, the safest way to view the interaction of lava and seawater on the edge of an active delta.

Lava enters ocean at Kupapa‘u Point, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. Photographed with a telephoto lens, the safest way to view the interaction of lava and seawater on the edge of an active delta.

Lava flow from Kīlauea Volcano (Hawaii) enters forest....
Lava flow from Kīlauea (Hawaii) enters forest.
Lava flow from Kīlauea (Hawaii) enters forest.
Lava flow from Kīlauea (Hawaii) enters forest.

On Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, the Kahauale'a 2 flow advances slowly into the Puna Forest Reserve. The Kahauale`a 2 flow began in early May, 2013, on the north side of the rift.

On Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, the Kahauale'a 2 flow advances slowly into the Puna Forest Reserve. The Kahauale`a 2 flow began in early May, 2013, on the north side of the rift.

lava flow expanding into trees
Kahauale‘a 2 flow remains active north of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō
Kahauale‘a 2 flow remains active north of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō
Kahauale‘a 2 flow remains active north of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō

The Kahauale‘a 2 flow remains active north of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and has expanded a very minor amount into the forest, burning trees. The flow, which consists of slowly moving pāhoehoe, has widened but advanced little over the past two weeks.

The Kahauale‘a 2 flow remains active north of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and has expanded a very minor amount into the forest, burning trees. The flow, which consists of slowly moving pāhoehoe, has widened but advanced little over the past two weeks.

Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scient...
Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scient...
Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scient...
Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scient...

Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scientist tests the network link between the instrument and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scientist tests the network link between the instrument and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Color photograph showing person and instrument measuring volcanic gas
SO2 camera being tested by HVO scientist
SO2 camera being tested by HVO scientist
SO2 camera being tested by HVO scientist

Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scientist tests the network link between the instrument and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Camera captures SO2 released from Kīlauea's summit vent. HVO scientist tests the network link between the instrument and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Risky actions at Kīlauea's ocean entry are cause for concern...
Risky actions at Kīlauea's ocean entry are cause for concern
Risky actions at Kīlauea's ocean entry are cause for concern
Risky actions at Kīlauea's ocean entry are cause for concern

Do not be misguided by the risky actions of this person (upper right), who is standing on an active lava delta that could collapse without warning, amidst a plume of superheated steam, hydrochloric acid, and tiny particles of volcanic glass. To avoid these ocean entry hazards, HVO advises staying at least 400 m (one-quarter mile) from where lava enters the sea.

Do not be misguided by the risky actions of this person (upper right), who is standing on an active lava delta that could collapse without warning, amidst a plume of superheated steam, hydrochloric acid, and tiny particles of volcanic glass. To avoid these ocean entry hazards, HVO advises staying at least 400 m (one-quarter mile) from where lava enters the sea.