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Mauna Loa images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.
On Friday, August 21, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) organized a helicopter LiDAR mission over flood-damaged areas in the Kaʻū district on the Island of Hawaiʻi following Hurricane Lala that affected the Hawaiian Islands the weekend of August 15. HVO normally uses LiDAR for assessing eruption-related landscape changes in Hawaii. Helicopter-based L
On Friday, August 21, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) organized a helicopter LiDAR mission over flood-damaged areas in the Kaʻū district on the Island of Hawaiʻi following Hurricane Lala that affected the Hawaiian Islands the weekend of August 15. HVO normally uses LiDAR for assessing eruption-related landscape changes in Hawaii. Helicopter-based L
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientist mounts the LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instrument on the base of the helicopter.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientist mounts the LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instrument on the base of the helicopter.
On Friday, August 21, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) organized a helicopter lidar mission over flood-damaged areas in the Ka‘ū district on the Island of Hawai‘i following Hurricane Lala the previous weekend.
On Friday, August 21, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) organized a helicopter lidar mission over flood-damaged areas in the Ka‘ū district on the Island of Hawai‘i following Hurricane Lala the previous weekend.
Flooding in the Ka‘ū district during Hurricane Lala over the weekend of August 15–16 appears to have activated hydrologic drainages that only carry water during the heaviest of rains.
Flooding in the Ka‘ū district during Hurricane Lala over the weekend of August 15–16 appears to have activated hydrologic drainages that only carry water during the heaviest of rains.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter lidar mission on Friday, August 21 provided near-vertical views down into narrow channels carved by streams on the southeast flank of Mauna Loa volcano. This photo shows Hionamoa Gulch just west of the town of Pāhala, clearly widened by flooding during Hurricane Lala the previous weekend.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter lidar mission on Friday, August 21 provided near-vertical views down into narrow channels carved by streams on the southeast flank of Mauna Loa volcano. This photo shows Hionamoa Gulch just west of the town of Pāhala, clearly widened by flooding during Hurricane Lala the previous weekend.
This photograph shows the inside of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) Multi-Gas site at Sulfur Cone high up on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone. Volcanic gas (Sulfur Dioxide, Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Dioxide, and Water vapor) concentrations are measured then telemetered back to HVO to be monitored and analyzed by HVO gas scientists. USGS photo by C.
This photograph shows the inside of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) Multi-Gas site at Sulfur Cone high up on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone. Volcanic gas (Sulfur Dioxide, Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Dioxide, and Water vapor) concentrations are measured then telemetered back to HVO to be monitored and analyzed by HVO gas scientists. USGS photo by C.
On July 29, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientists flew via helicopter to the Sulfur Cone Multi-Gas instrumentation site on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone, which is at an elevation of 3,430 meters (11,240 feet) above sea level.
On July 29, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientists flew via helicopter to the Sulfur Cone Multi-Gas instrumentation site on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone, which is at an elevation of 3,430 meters (11,240 feet) above sea level.
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineers replace the batteries at the HOK tiltmeter, located on the west flank of Mauna Loa volcano. USGS photo.
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineers replace the batteries at the HOK tiltmeter, located on the west flank of Mauna Loa volcano. USGS photo.
Geophysicist sets up a campaign Global Positioning System (GPS) unit over benchmark ELEK, on the northeastern slope of Mauna Loa volcano. USGS photo.
Geophysicist sets up a campaign Global Positioning System (GPS) unit over benchmark ELEK, on the northeastern slope of Mauna Loa volcano. USGS photo.
Displacement field showing the horizontal (red arrows) and vertical (blue arrows) components of motion recorded by Global Positioning System (GPS) positions at each campaign benchmark site from surveys conducted between 2025-2026. The arrows point in the direction of motion and lengths represent how far positions were displaced over the past year.
Displacement field showing the horizontal (red arrows) and vertical (blue arrows) components of motion recorded by Global Positioning System (GPS) positions at each campaign benchmark site from surveys conducted between 2025-2026. The arrows point in the direction of motion and lengths represent how far positions were displaced over the past year.
Map of the 1926 Mauna Loa lava flows (red), with all Mauna Loa lava flows since 1843 shown in peach. The eruption started at the summit (top right of main map) on April 10.
Map of the 1926 Mauna Loa lava flows (red), with all Mauna Loa lava flows since 1843 shown in peach. The eruption started at the summit (top right of main map) on April 10.
An aerial view of the Kaoiki fault on the south flank of Mauna Loa. Grassy slopes mark this fault, with Mauna Loa lava flows in the foreground and the slope of Mauna Loa in the background. This fault is prominently visible while driving Highway 11 in the Kaʻū Desert area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
An aerial view of the Kaoiki fault on the south flank of Mauna Loa. Grassy slopes mark this fault, with Mauna Loa lava flows in the foreground and the slope of Mauna Loa in the background. This fault is prominently visible while driving Highway 11 in the Kaʻū Desert area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
During the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption, an ‘a‘ā flow about 457 m (1500 ft) wide and 9 m (30 ft) high headed straight for the village of Ho‘ōpūloa on April 17, as shown here. By the next day, the lava flow had destroyed a dozen houses, a church, and the wharf, and had nearly obliterated the bay.
During the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption, an ‘a‘ā flow about 457 m (1500 ft) wide and 9 m (30 ft) high headed straight for the village of Ho‘ōpūloa on April 17, as shown here. By the next day, the lava flow had destroyed a dozen houses, a church, and the wharf, and had nearly obliterated the bay.
Graphs of ground deformation and earthquake data spanning three eruptions at Mauna Loa.
Graphs of ground deformation and earthquake data spanning three eruptions at Mauna Loa.
At the end of their Mauna Loa summit overflight on December 23, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists passed the 2022 Northeast Rift Zone eruption site. In this photo, an older vent known as Steaming Cone is visible in the lower-left of the frame (red and white colors), with the 2022 fissure 3 cone just to the right of it (black and brown colors).
At the end of their Mauna Loa summit overflight on December 23, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists passed the 2022 Northeast Rift Zone eruption site. In this photo, an older vent known as Steaming Cone is visible in the lower-left of the frame (red and white colors), with the 2022 fissure 3 cone just to the right of it (black and brown colors).
This aerial photograph shows Kīlauea, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. In the foreground is the forested area just north of Kīlauea caldera; the slope of Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone rises to the left side of the image, while Mauna Kea is visible in the background. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
This aerial photograph shows Kīlauea, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. In the foreground is the forested area just north of Kīlauea caldera; the slope of Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone rises to the left side of the image, while Mauna Kea is visible in the background. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
Upper left: a dusty lava puahiohio (at right in frame) above the main 2022 Mauna Loa lava flow on 2 December 2022, with the eruptive plume further in the background (at left in frame). Upper right: a lava puahiohio rips up the crust of the Kīlauea summit lava lake on 7 June 2023.
Upper left: a dusty lava puahiohio (at right in frame) above the main 2022 Mauna Loa lava flow on 2 December 2022, with the eruptive plume further in the background (at left in frame). Upper right: a lava puahiohio rips up the crust of the Kīlauea summit lava lake on 7 June 2023.
On August 12, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists visited the ML/MTcam monitoring site on the north side of Moku‘āweoweo—the summit caldera of Mauna Loa volcano. At the site, field engineers changed batteries, installed a new antenna, and replaced solar panels that had been damaged during winter storms. USGS photo by M. Cappos.
On August 12, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists visited the ML/MTcam monitoring site on the north side of Moku‘āweoweo—the summit caldera of Mauna Loa volcano. At the site, field engineers changed batteries, installed a new antenna, and replaced solar panels that had been damaged during winter storms. USGS photo by M. Cappos.
A view of Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, taken from the north rim on August 12, 2025.
A view of Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, taken from the north rim on August 12, 2025.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineer installs a new antenna at the monitoring station located just southwest of Moku‘āweoweo, where the MOcam and SPcam are located.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineer installs a new antenna at the monitoring station located just southwest of Moku‘āweoweo, where the MOcam and SPcam are located.
The SPcam (wide angle visual webcam) and MSTcam (thermal camera) are situated next to one another in the summit region of Mauna Loa. Both cameras look south to monitor the uppermost Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
The SPcam (wide angle visual webcam) and MSTcam (thermal camera) are situated next to one another in the summit region of Mauna Loa. Both cameras look south to monitor the uppermost Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. USGS photo by M. Patrick.