Images

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.

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.

View of fissure 3 erupting on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone erupting during the morning of December 2, 2022. Fissure 4 continues to be active, but with very little eruptive activity observed this morning.  USGS image by F. Trusdell. 

Close up view of the molten bombs being thrown into the air by the lava fountains at fissure 3 on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. USGS image by D. Downs.

Mid-day on December 2, 2022, Mauna Loa's ongoing eruption on the Northeast Rift Zone was active primarily from fissure 3. This view is looking to the northeast (viewed from uprift) during a monitoring eruption monitoring overflight. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

Mauna Loa's ongoing eruption has generated channels of lava close to the vents on the Northeast Rift Zone. This section of the lava channel, viewed here looking across the flow (the vent is to the right off the image) on the morning of December 2, 2022, is approximately 20 m (66 ft) wide. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

Fissure 3 on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone has produced several lava channels that are winding their way down the northeast slopes of the volcano. These channels are surrounded by levees that insulate the lava and keep it fluid and moving at a brisk pace downslope. As it cools it can form a black crust on top of it in places.

View of of the lava channel that exits from Fissure 3 and is flowing downhill  from the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. Once a channel forms, the lava can stay insulated and more fluid as it flows. This can allow for lava to move fast in steep parts of its channel and create rapids. USGS image by D. Downs.

Dr. Lis Gallant measuring fountain heights during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa using a laser rangefinder. USGS photo.

View of fissure 3 on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone erupting during the morning of December 1, 2022. Fissure 3 continues to be the dominant of two erupting fissures on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone.

December 1, 2022 - USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists deploy buckets downwind of the erupting fissures to collect samples. These samples will be analyzed to learn about lava being erupted by Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone.

Aerial view of Fissure 3 and its channel that is flowing downslope from the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. The upper left side of the photo is Mauna Kea. Over the past 24 hours Fissure 3 has built up a significant spatter rampart around its lava fountains. The air is thick with a sulfur plume that is degassing from the lava as it rises to the surface here.

Zoomed in aerial view of Fissure 3 erupting on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. Its lava fountains consistently throw molten lava bombs up to 30 m (98 ft) in the air with some bursts to 40 m (131 ft) high. Over time as these bombs cool, around the base of the fissure, they built up a spatter cone.

A USGS scientist maps the eastern margin of the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption lava flow on December 1, 2022. In this area, the flow height is between 3 and 5 meters (10 to 16 feet) tall.

View of fissure 3 erupting on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. View is from approximately 500 meters downrift.

The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa has continued into its fourth full day. At this time two fissures are active, sending lava flows primarily to the north-northeast.

December 1, 2022 - A view of the eruption plume from fissure 3 on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. Geologist for scale on the left. USGS image by J. Schmith.

Fissure 3 of the Northeast Rift Zone Mauna Loa eruption with a plume of volcanic gases and fine volcanic ash and Pele's hair being wafted in a near vertical plume. Taken at about 7:15 AM on November 30, 2022.