Images

With permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) operations at the Kīlauea summit eruption site on January 17, 2025. Scientists conducted flights to assess volcanic gas emissions and take aerial imagery, which will aid in hazard assessment of the ongoing eruption.

Close up view of the south vent from the southwest rim of Kaluapele, the summit caldera of Kīlauea, on the morning of January 17, 2025. The cone is almost 100 ft (30 m) high and the lava fountain is just as high to slightly high at times. The outlet at the front of the cone is feeding some of the lava flows in the western part of Halemaʻumaʻu. USGS photo by D.

Early morning view of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption within Halema'uma'u in Kaluapele (the summit caldera) on January 16, 2025. This telephoto view is from the Volcano House overlook within Hawaiʻi Voclanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

Early morning view of visitors gathered at Keanakākoʻi Overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to view the ongoing Kīlauea eruption within Halema'uma'u in Kaluapele (the summit caldera). As of the morning on January 16, 2025, both the north and south vents are erupting lava fountains which are feeding lava flows in the southwest part of the caldera.

This zoom view of the two active lava fountains within Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea was captured by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists during an observational visit to the southern crater rim on the morning of January 16, 2025.

Telephoto view of the two vents erupting in the southwest part of Kīlauea summit caldera at approximately 6 a.m. HST. This view is to the southwest, from Volcano House within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

View of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, from the south rim of the caldera. The caldera wall behind the erupting vents is approximately 210 meters (690 feet) tall.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects images for photogrammetric processing at the summit of Kīlauea following episode 40 lava fountaining. These surveys help determine the volume of lava erupted during each episode, and the crater infilling rates. USGS photo by T. Orr.

(A) Spatter cone samples from the Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption in and near Nāpau Crater from September 15–20, 2024. Crystals were collected from samples like this. (B) Back-scattered electron image of a plagioclase crystal from the September 2024 Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption. This crystal shows two distinct chemical zones from its core to rim.

During the reactivation of the Kīlauea summit eruption, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists setup high resolution cameras to record eruption dynamics. While on field shifts, scientists measure fountain and cone heights, take thermal and observational images, and collect samples for monitoring purposes.

Panorama view of the Kīlauea summit eruption from Keanakākoʻi Overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The Keanakākoʻi Overlook is on the south side of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) and the view is the northwest. On the left, the two erupting vents are visible within Halemaʻumaʻu in the southwest part of Kaluapele.

This thermal map of the summit of Kīlauea was made from images collected during a January 16 overflight, just four days after the episode 40 lava fountaining on January 12. The episode 40 lava flows from the north vent crossed much of crater floor along the north side of the crater.

Telephoto view of the two vents erupting in the southwest part of Halema'uma'u in Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) at approximately 6 a.m. HST on January 16, 2025. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists in the field this morning measured the lava fountains as reaching approximately 60 meters (197 feet) high.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists observe the continuation of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption during its fourth eruptive episode. The eruption had been paused since January 3, 2025, and resumed on January 15, 2025.

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater as of January 15, 2025. Most of the included map data were collected during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on January 10, so the provided eruption statistics are current as of the end of the third eruptive episode on January 3.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitor episode 4 of the Kīlauea summit eruption that began this morning, January 15, 2025. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Panorama image of the north and south vents in the west portion of Kīlauea caldera are erupting lava fountains during the afternoon of January 15, 2025. Lava fountains are feeding lava flows that are moving in an eastward direction on the caldera floor. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists check volcanic gas monitoring equipment located downwind of the erupting vents in Kaluapele, Kīlauea summit caldera. The light-brown eruptive plume from episode 4 of the eruption is visible in the background of the image. USGS photo by B. Lopez. 

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists collected samples of episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, which began the morning of January 15, 2025. The samples were collected from the west rim of Kaluapele, Kīlauea summit caldera.

Around 9:15 a.m. HST this morning, January 15, 2025, the eruption of Kīlauea within Kaluapele (summit caldera) resumed with a small lava flow exiting the north vent. Later in the morning, more vigorous lava fountaining began, which deposited tephra material on the west rim of the caldera in the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began this morning, January 15, 2025. Lava fountains resumed erupting from the two vents that have been active in the eruption that began within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on December 23, 2024.