Images

The ongoing Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa, as viewed from the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road) shortly after 6 a.m. HST on December 4, 2022. The eruption continues, with a flow front that is slowly advancing towards the highway. USGS image by N. Deligne. 

A view of the northern side of fissure 3 taken during an early morning overflight. Fissure 3 is located on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone and is feeding a lava flow that is 10.34 miles (16.70 km) long. The spatter erupted has built the cone to a height of 95 feet (29 meters). USGS image by L. Gallant. 

Aerial photograph of the fissure 3 lava flow front. Fissure 3 is erupting at an elevation of about 11,500 ft (3510 m) above sea level on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. As of 12 p.m. December 4 the flow front had advanced about 10 miles (16 km) downslope and was about 2.25 mi (3.6 km) from the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road). USGS photo by L.

Aerial image of the fissure 3 lava channel where it is braided, high on the Northeast flank of Mauna Loa. In this section of the channel, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists observed several areas where lava overflowed from the channel, in one case due to a channel blockage downslope.

Aerial view of fissure 3 erupting on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa the morning of December 4, 2022. USGS image by L. DeSmither. 

Aerial view of fissure 3 erupting on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa the morning of December 4, 2022. Lava fountaining at the vent has been approximately 100 feet (33 m) tall over the past day, depositing fragments of volcanic material in the area near the vent.  USGS image by L. DeSmither. 

The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa has continued into its seventh full day. One active fissure, fissure 3, is feeding a lava flow downslope to the north.

This telephoto image of spatter being thrown from the fissure 3 on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa was taken on the morning of December 4, 2022. Sustained fountain heights of 141 feet (43 meters) with bursts reaching over 232 feet in height (71 meters) were measured. USGS image by L. Gallant. 

This map shows areas of surface change as determined through a comparison of satellite radar images acquired on November 16, 2022 and December 2 at 6:13 a.m. HST.

Helicopter overflights on November 30, December 1, and December 2, 2022, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of the Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa. These maps show evolution of the lava flow from fissure 3 over those days.

View of the Fissure 3 erupting high on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa the morning of December 3, 2022. The eruption is generating a volcanic gas plume that is lofting high and vertically into the atmosphere before being blown to the west at high altitude, generating vog in areas downwind.

The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa has continued into its sixth full day. One active fissure, fissure 3, is feeding a lava flow downslope to the north.

An HVO scientist installs a webcamera to monitor the Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa. The livestream is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnjGqn1K9ZQ. USGS image by M. Patrick. 

A geologist documents fissure 3 erupting on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. In the field, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists measure the lava fountain and cone heights, channel widths, and lava channel dynamics. USGS image by J. Schmith. 

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas specialist uses a FTIR spectrometer on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. The FTIR measures the composition of the gases being emitted during the eruption by measuring how the plume absorbs infrared energy.

Image of a webcam deployed to monitor the Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa. See this webcam for all Mauna Loa webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/webcams. USGS image by K. Mulliken. 

View of the Fissure 3 lava fountains that are throwing molten material up to 82-98 ft (25-30 m) into the air high on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. Over the past few days the molten bombs thrown into the air cool and have built up a cone around the lava fountains. USGS image by D. Downs.

A helicopter overflight on December 2, 2022, allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of the Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa. This map only shows activity from Fissure 3 on the Northeast Rift Zone, which is feeding a lava flow to the north.

This radar interferogram spans before the eruption (November 16, 2022) until December 2 at 6:13 a.m. HST.

The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa has continued into its fifth full day. Fissure 3 is generating lava flows primarily to the north; fissure 4 continues to be active, but with very little eruptive activity observed this morning.

Spatter bomb from fissure 3 of  Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone eruption. The bomb was molten and plastic when it fell to the ground. As it flew through the air, the molten lava stretched and started to break apart as it was cooling. As this bomb came to rest on the round it continued to cool and solidify with these stretched morphologies. USGS image by D.