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Photo and Video Chronology – Kīlauea – March 3, 2022

By Kīlauea March 4, 2022

An eruption at Kīlauea's summit began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021. Intermittent lava activity is confined within Halema‘uma‘u crater, in the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

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.

Animated gif of eruption images
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This animated gif features one V1cam image, taken around noon each day, from February 1, 2022, through March 4, 2022.

At the beginning of February, there was still a prominent enclosed cone over the west vent area within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Over the past month, that cone has broken down and lava has infilled around its craggy remains. Currently, the area formerly occupied by the west vent cone has multiple small spatter cone features effusing lava. These features resemble those noted on the east portion of Halemaumau crater floor recently, visible in this photo: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/january-27-2022-kilauea. The V1cam provides a live view of the west vent in Halemaʻumaʻu and the lava lake. The camera is located on the northwest rim of the caldera, and looks east" https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/v1cam-west-vent-halemaumau-and-lava-lake.

March 2, 2022 — Kīlauea summit

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A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on March 2, 2022, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from the west vent area and pours into the active lava lake area. 
Color photograph of lava lake
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At approximately 8:15 a.m. on March 2, 2022, HVO geologists conducted an overflight of Kīlauea's summit. The eruption, which resumed several hours earlier, at approximately 1 a.m., continues within Halema‘uma‘u crater. In this photo, active lava is visible near the west vent, near the center of the image, and Mauna Loa looms in the background. USGS image by F. Trusdell.
Color photograph of lava lake
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Aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u crater and the ongoing eruption within it. This view, to the northeast, shows one of several down-dropped blocks that formed during Kīlauea's summit collapse events in 2018. The drown-dropped block, which is in the foreground of the photo, has numerous cracks on its surface; the active vent is near the center of the image and emitting volcanic gas. USGS image by F. Trusdell.
Color photograph of eruption
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This aerial photo, taken south of Halema‘uma‘u crater, shows the active part of the eruption at Kīlauea summit during a routine Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight on March 2, 2022. Though the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u crater is paved by lava erupted since this eruption began on September 29, 2021, recent activity has usually remained within the west portion of the the crater, in the vicinity of the west vent. USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of eruption
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This telephoto view, taken during a eruption monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit on March 2, 2022, shows the west vent area within Halema‘uma‘u crater. Lava erupts from multiple locations near where the west vent cone, which has broken down over the past several weeks, was located. In the right side of this image, lava pours from the pond north of the west vent area into the active lava lake. USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of lava lake
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Telephoto view of the distal (east) margin of the active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. Minor spattering is visible along the margin, as well as two zones of crustal foundering (a process in which more cool and dense crust at the surface sinks into the molten material below). USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of lava lake
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Telephoto view of the distal (east) margin of the active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. Minor spattering is visible along the margin, as well as a zone of crustal foundering (a process in which more cool and dense crust at the surface sinks into the molten material below). USGS image by K. Mulliken. 
Color photograph of lava lake
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Telephoto view of the distal (east) margin of the active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. Minor spattering is visible along the margin, as well as a zone of crustal foundering (a process in which more cool and dense crust at the surface sinks into the molten material below). USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of spatter cone
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Telephoto view taken on March 2, 2022, during an overflight of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano. In the center of the image, one of the spatter cones that has developed on the surface of the crater floor in recent weeks is visible. These features are similar to hornitos, which are steep and conical structures that form over lava tubes by accumulation of lava that is ejected from the crust. The presence of these features in the generally inactive eastern portion Halema‘uma‘u demonstrates that molten material is present under the solidified surface. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of volcanic landscape
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During a routine eruption-monitoring overflight of Kīlauea's summit, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this view of the south caldera area. Bulldozers were used to create mounds, visible in the right center portion of the image, in an effort to prevent planes from landing in this area of Kīlauea during World War II. USGS image by F. Trusdell.
Color photograph of damaged road
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A portion of Crater Rim Drive that was damaged during Kīlauea's 2018 summit collapse events was visible during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight on March 2, 2022. Crater Rim Drive used to go around Kīlauea summit caldera within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. During 2018, a large eruption of the lower East Rift Zone partially drained Kīlauea summit magma reservoir, causing parts of the summit to collapse and destroying portions of Crater Rim Drive. USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of volanic landscape
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Aerial image taken at approximately 8:30 a.m. during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight on March 2, 2022. In the foreground, the Ha‘akulamanu trail in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park passes through the Sulphur Banks area, while the plume from the ongoing eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater rises from Kīlauea caldera in the background. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of crater
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Aerial view showing Keanakāko‘i crater, located on the south side of Kīlauea summit caldera. Crater Rim Drive, which remains closed to vehicles, is visible cross-cutting the image. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has opened an eruption viewing area to the north of Keanakāko‘i crater, which is is visible in approximately the bottom center portion of the image. To learn more about viewing the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater, visit the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park eruption viewing webpage: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/september-2021-eruption.htm. USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of volcanic landscape
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Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this view of Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) and the Steam Vents area within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during a routine morning overflight on March 2, 2022. Cracks in this area allow heated groundwater, which reaches up to 63 degrees Celsius (145 degrees Fahrenheit), to escape from underground as steam. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

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