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Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai&lsq
HVO scientists collect detailed data to assess hazards and understand how the eruption is evolving at Kīlauea's summit, all of which are shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers. Access to this hazardous area is by permission from, and in coordination with, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
March 7, 2021 - Changes in Halema‘uma‘u west vent configuration, Kīlauea summit
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
This timelapse sequence shows several hours of activity in the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. Between March 5-7 a small lava pond developed near the vent. At approximately 1 pm on March 7, the levee of the pond collapsed, allowing the pond lava to drain into the main lake. Minor changes in the geometry of the western fissure, like this, happen occasionally. The timelapse sequence is looped three times.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
A close-up of the western fissure on Sunday, March 7, within Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea. The photos shows a minor change in the vent configuration over the preceding few days. A new lava stream was active north of the normal lava stream entering the lake. This new lava stream was perched above the lake surface, and fed a narrow channel entering the lake. The new stream was set within a collapse scar that resulted from the collapse of a small lava pond just a few hours before this photo was taken. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
A wider view of the western portion of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea on Sunday, March 7. The lake has developed a subtle levee on its south margin (just below the center of the photo), with several lava streams cascading down onto the lower level on the eastern end of the levee. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
