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Photo and Video Chronology – Kīlauea – May 3, 2021

By Kīlauea May 3, 2021

Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; Halema‘uma‘u west vent erupts lava into the lava lake, which was 227 m (744 ft) deep this morning, May 3. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear—monitor the eruption from wi

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.

 

 

View of Kīlauea summit eruption gas plume from southeast — April 30, 2021

Hiking along the rim of the 2018 collapse area at the summit of Kīlauea
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
While hiking along the rim of the 2018 collapse area at the summit of Kīlauea, HVO scientists visited a site to the southeast of Halema‘uma‘u known as Akanikōlea—a culturally-significant place that is featured in Hawaiian legends. While the lava lake from the ongoing eruption in Halema‘uma‘u is not visible from this vantage point, the gas plume from the eruption is (diffuse blueish plume to the left). The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate, measured on May 2, was 475 t/d. This photo was taken from an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public for safety reasons. The Keanakāko‘i Overlook, just a few hundred meters (yards) to the east, offers a similar view. USGS photo taken by N. Deligne on April 30, 2021.

 View of Kīlauea's September 1982 lava flow lobe — April 30, 2021

HVO scientists hiked along the closed Crater Rim Road on April 30th to retrieve acoustic (sound) sensors for a scientific study
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
HVO scientists hiked along the closed Crater Rim Road on April 30th to retrieve acoustic (sound) sensors for a scientific study. This section of the road was damaged by earthquake activity during the 2018 Kīlauea summit caldera collapse. This stretch of road traverses part of the September 1982 lava flow, visible as a lobe of black rock on the right of the road. Mauna Loa Volcano is visible in the background. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, Kīlauea summit eruption—April 30, 2021

On Friday, April 30, lava continued to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
On Friday, April 30, lava continued to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. Active surface lava (center of the photo) was limited to the center of the previously active lake surface, where the north (right) and south (left) sides have cooled and crusted over (appearing darker in the image). This photo was taken around 2 p.m. HST from the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u, looking northwest. USGS Photo by K. Lynn.

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