Images

Kīlauea started erupting on September 10, 2023, at approximately 3:15 p.m. H.S.T., from fissures which extended from the eastern margin of Halema‘uma‘u crater and onto the down-dropped block to the east within Kīlauea’s summit caldera.

An eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano began on September 10, 2023. The main fountain, which HVO geologists estimate is approximately 50 meters tall, is on the eastern margin of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. As of approximately 4:30 p.m.

The new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on September 10, 2023. After about an hour of increased seismic activity and uplift, HVO scientists observed the start of the eruption at approximately 3:15 p.m. HST.

The new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on September 10, 2023. After about an hour of increased seismic activity and uplift, HVO scientists observed the start of the eruption at approximately 3:15 p.m. HST.

The new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on September 10, 2023. After about an hour of increased seismic activity and uplift, HVO scientists observed the start of the eruption at approximately 3:15 p.m. HST.

The new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on September 10, 2023. After about an hour of increased seismic activity and uplift, HVO scientists observed the start of the eruption at approximately 3:15 p.m. HST.

The new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on September 10, 2023. After about an hour of increased seismic activity and uplift, HVO scientists observed the start of the eruption at approximately 3:15 p.m. HST.

This telephoto image, taken from near the Uēkahuna overlook within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, shows the vent in the east wall of the downdropped block erupting on September 10, 2023. As of September 11, 2023, morning, the vent was no longer active and only incandescent. USGS image by M. Patrick.

Vigorous fountaining within Kīlauea caldera was visible from near the Uēkahuna overlook during the afternoon of September 10, 2023. This image shows fissure vents that opened parallel to the boundary of Halemaʻumaʻu crater near where it intersected the downdropped block. USGS image by M. Patrick.

A line of vigorously fountaining vents was visible on the floor of the downdropped block within Kīlauea caldera during the afternoon of September 10, 2023. This image, taken from near the Uēkahuna overlook, shows the activity extending east of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and onto the downdropped block.

This image, taken from near the Uēkahuna overlook, shows the main and westernmost fountain within Kīlauea caldera erupting the afternoon of September 10, 2023. This vent is no longer active, and was located on the eastern portion of Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientists used a FTIR spectrometer on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater during the evening of September 10, 2023. The FTIR measures the composition of the gases being emitted during Kīlauea Volcano's new summit eruption by measuring how the plume absorbs infrared energy.

Graph of tilting at Uēkahuna bluff—at the summit of Kīlauea—in a direction toward and away from Halemʻaumʻau, collected by a water tube tiltmeter (black) and an electronic tiltmeter (grey).  Major intrusions and eruptions are marked by blue and red arrows respectively. USGS plot. 

Stratigraphic column of the Kulanaokuaiki Tephra sequence, and an in-the-field look at this section with closer photographs of subunits K-1, K-3, and K-5. At some localities, there are interbedded lava flows that help correlate units across larger distances on Kīlauea volcano. USGS photos by Abigail Nalesnik.

HVO scientists have been closely monitoring the earthquakes in Kīlauea's summit region over the past weeks. Most earthquakes have occurred at depths of 1–2 miles (2–3 kilometers) below the surface, with no upward migration detected.

This photo shows one of several temporary GPS survey stations recently deployed in Kīlauea south caldera region. The instruments will record additional measurements during the ongoing heightened unrest. Patterns of earthquakes and ground deformation indicate that Kīlauea's summit is becoming increasingly pressurized.

Scientists temporarily deployed a handful of temporary GPS instruments at established benchmarks in Kīlauea south caldera region to better measure ground deformation during the ongoing unrest there. Steady rates of earthquakes have persisted in this area since August 22.

Last week, HVO staff installed a new webcam—the B2cam—on the down-dropped block within Kīlauea caldera and east rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater. This camera view replaces that of the B1cam, which was moved east during the June 2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruption because it was being exposed to intense heat.

Temporary GPS survey equipment has been deployed in Kīlauea south caldera area for additional measurements during the ongoing heightened unrest there.

On August 8, 2023, HVO field engineers visited the UWE tiltmeter station near Kīlauea summit. Field engineers serviced the instrument, which was experiencing temporary date outages. USGS photo by M. Cappos.

Low-angle aerial view of the Great Crack and surrounding 1823 lava flows (dark gray) along Kīlauea’s lower Southwest Rift Zone. The crack is about 50 feet (15 meters) wide in this area with similar but variable depth, depending on the amount of rock rubble filling the opening. USGS photo by D. Downs.