Images

On September 29, 2021, fissure vents opened in Halema‘uma‘u crater. A new lava lake began to form on the one previously active from December 2020–May 2021.

A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) geologist notes observations of the active lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. HVO scientists continue to monitor the ongoing eruption from an area within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public due to hazardous conditions. USGS photo taken by N. Deligne on October 5, 2021.

A view of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, taken from the western crater rim looking east. The western vent (lower right) remains the dominant source of fountaining. One fountain remains active in the south portion of the lake (center right).

Lava fountains from the western fissure vent in the Halema‘uma‘u crater wall, at Kīlauea's summit during the ongoing eruption. USGS video by N. Deligne.

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on October 5, 2021. Two eruptive vents are active at this time: one along the western edge of the rising lava lake, and one within the south-central portion of the lake.

Photo of fountaining from the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Spatter from the fountain continues to build up a horseshoe-shaped cone around the vent, with lava flowing into the lake at the base. This photo was taken from the western crater rim on October 5, 2021. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

An HVO scientist aims the ‘field FTIR’ at spattering lava from the current eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on October 4, 2021. USGS photo by P. Nadeau. 

This zoomed-in view of the erupting western fissure in Halema‘uma‘u shows lava fountaining activity on the morning of October 4, 2021. The fountains have built a C-shaped spatter rampart around their source, which is now submerged in the rising lava lake.

A telephoto view of foundering in the active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Foundering occurs when denser and cooler solidified crust (black) sinks below less dense liquid lava (orange). Photo taken at 7:48 a.m. HST on October 4, 2021. USGS photo by J.M. Chang.

This photo, captured on the morning of October 4, 2021, provides a zoomed-in view of the eastern edge of the main island in the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake. In the earliest days of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption, this was the site of an energetic eruptive vent that showered the island with spatter and tephra.

A telephoto image of fountaining from the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Spatter from the fountain continues to build up a cone around the vent, which is almost entirely out of view from this angle. This photo was taken from the western crater rim on October 4, 2021. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A brief gap in the fume provides a clear view of the fountaining at the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rates remain elevated and were measured at approximately 7,000 tonnes per day on October 4. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick from the southern crater rim on October 4, 2021.

A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) geologist uses a laser rangefinder to measure the elevation of the active lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. HVO scientists continue to monitor the ongoing eruption from an area within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public due to safety concerns. USGS photo taken by M.

A telephoto view of fountaining at the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Spatter from the fountain has built a horseshoe-shaped cone around the vent in the western crater wall. Molten spatter accumulating on the cone forms a tiny stream of lava down the north side (bottom center).

An overflow of lava from the active lake (left) poured onto and along the levee (right) on the eastern end of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick taken on October 4, 2021.

KWcam image taken on October 4, 2021, just before 6 a.m. HST. This image shows the ongoing eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption began the afternoon of September 29, 2021, as fissures in the floor of the crater; this activity is generating a lava lake that is slowly filling the crater.

A wide view of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, taken from the western crater rim. The western vent (lower right) remains the dominant source of fountaining, while low lava fountains are still emerging through the southern portion of the lava lake (center right). USGS photo by M. Patrick taken on October 4, 2021.

A close-up view of the western fissure and lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The lava lake crust develops a complex pattern as it flows away from its source at the western vent (bottom right). USGS photo by M. Patrick taken on October 4, 2021.

A close-up view of the southeast margin of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater, Kīlauea summit. Over the past few days, a levee has formed around most of the lava lakes perimeter to create a lake that is perched several meters (yards) above the solidified outer rim. On October 2, the levee shown in this image was approximately 3 meters (10 ft) high.

On Sunday, October 3, 2021, the late afternoon sunlight illuminated a perched edge of the active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit. This view, looking to the northeast from the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u, shows the active lake surface (left) that is elevated a few meters (yards) above the lower trough along the crater wall (right).

A wide view of the active lava lake at Kīlauea summit from the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu on the morning of October 3, 2021. The west (left) and south (bottom center) vents are visible, with the west vent fountain heights measuring 10–15 meters (33–49 ft) and the south fissure fountains measuring up to 5 meters (16 ft) high. USGS photo by D. Downs.