Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Videos

The USGS is a science organization that provides impartial information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, the impacts of climate and land-use change, and the core science systems that help us provide timely, relevant, and useable information.

Filter Total Items: 2832
Video of lava flows
Video of lava flows
Video of lava flows

Same flow as in upper video, but a little farther upstream. Grass burns along the side of the stream. Width of view, 4-5 m.

Same flow as in upper video, but a little farther upstream. Grass burns along the side of the stream. Width of view, 4-5 m.

PubTalk 1/2003 — Exploring Mars
PubTalk 1/2003 — Exploring Mars
PubTalk 1/2003 — Exploring Mars

Recent Discoveries and Upcoming Missions

By Michael H. Carr, Planetary Geologist

 

Recent Discoveries and Upcoming Missions

By Michael H. Carr, Planetary Geologist

 

Lava runs from under crust along edge of inflating flow
Lava runs from under crust along edge of inflating flow
Lava runs from under crust along edge of inflating flow

Lava runs from under crust along edge of inflating flow. Flakes of crust, heated by the emerging lava, spall off and fall onto surface of lava. Width of view, about 75 cm.

Lava runs from under crust along edge of inflating flow. Flakes of crust, heated by the emerging lava, spall off and fall onto surface of lava. Width of view, about 75 cm.

Lava tear
Lava tear
Lava tear

Tear begins to develop in crust on stage-left side of flow. Lava eventually pours from tear. Stream is 0.75-1 m wide.

Tear begins to develop in crust on stage-left side of flow. Lava eventually pours from tear. Stream is 0.75-1 m wide.

Rushing toe of lava
Rushing toe of lava
Rushing toe of lava

Rushing toe of lava that has just broken out from front of one active lobe of flow on coastal flat seaward of Paliuli. Toe is about 50 cm wide. Note how crust is "scrunched" at bottom of minicascade, resulting in wrinkles. Other videos on this day show breakouts in same area. In all videos, wind noise may be bothersome.

Rushing toe of lava that has just broken out from front of one active lobe of flow on coastal flat seaward of Paliuli. Toe is about 50 cm wide. Note how crust is "scrunched" at bottom of minicascade, resulting in wrinkles. Other videos on this day show breakouts in same area. In all videos, wind noise may be bothersome.

Slow moving lava
Slow moving lava
Slow moving lava

Lava slowly rafts plate of crust downstream. Width of plate of crust, about 1 m.

Lava slowly rafts plate of crust downstream. Width of plate of crust, about 1 m.

Small gush of lava
Small gush of lava
Small gush of lava

Small gush is on crest of small divide and starts flowing down right side as well as left. Stream is about 1 m wide.

Small gush is on crest of small divide and starts flowing down right side as well as left. Stream is about 1 m wide.

Two streams break from under inflating flow
Two streams break from under inflating flow
Two streams break from under inflating flow

Two streams break from under inflating flow. Note how crust forms on closer stream and becomes wrinkled where lava runs into barrier. Each stream is about 3 m long.

Two streams break from under inflating flow. Note how crust forms on closer stream and becomes wrinkled where lava runs into barrier. Each stream is about 3 m long.

Wrinkling of thin crust
Wrinkling of thin crust
Wrinkling of thin crust

Video shows wrinkling of thin crust at bottom of gentle slope. Note the concave-upstream shape of the wrinkles. Stream is about 1 m wide.

Video shows wrinkling of thin crust at bottom of gentle slope. Note the concave-upstream shape of the wrinkles. Stream is about 1 m wide.

Low-angle view of fluid toe spreading out
Low-angle view of fluid toe spreading out
Low-angle view of fluid toe spreading out

Low-angle view of fluid toe spreading out. Note moving dark crust on distant part of toe.

Low-angle view of fluid toe spreading out. Note moving dark crust on distant part of toe.

Rapidly flowing single toe of lava
Rapidly flowing single toe of lava
Rapidly flowing single toe of lava

Rapidly flowing single toe of lava at front of flow 440 m seaward of Paliuli. Other videos on this day focus on similar toes. Sound was turned off during the imaging. For scale, flowing lava in all clips is 1-3 m wide.

Rapidly flowing single toe of lava at front of flow 440 m seaward of Paliuli. Other videos on this day focus on similar toes. Sound was turned off during the imaging. For scale, flowing lava in all clips is 1-3 m wide.

Sheet of lava pouring from inflating flow
Sheet of lava pouring from inflating flow
Sheet of lava pouring from inflating flow

Sheet of lava pouring from inflating flow. Note wrinkling, moving crust.

Sheet of lava pouring from inflating flow. Note wrinkling, moving crust.

Single toe in action
Single toe in action
Single toe in action

Single toe in action. Note concentric wrinkes forming at bottom of view.

Single toe in action. Note concentric wrinkes forming at bottom of view.

Breaking and tumbling crust on slabby flow front.
Breaking and tumbling crust on slabby flow front.
Breaking and tumbling crust on slabby flow front.

Breaking and tumbling crust on slabby flow front.

Channeled cascade on Paliuli
Channeled cascade on Paliuli
Channeled cascade on Paliuli

Channeled cascade on Paliuli. Other videos on this day focus on front of this cascade. Wind noise in this and other clips is obvious, but listen for sounds of pieces of crust scraping against one another or across ground. For scale, flow front in all clips is 1-1.5 m high.

Channeled cascade on Paliuli. Other videos on this day focus on front of this cascade. Wind noise in this and other clips is obvious, but listen for sounds of pieces of crust scraping against one another or across ground. For scale, flow front in all clips is 1-1.5 m high.

Fluid lava leaks from inside crusted front of cascade
Fluid lava leaks from inside crusted front of cascade
Fluid lava leaks from inside crusted front of cascade

Fluid lava leaks from inside crusted front of cascade.

More disruption of slabby flow front
More disruption of slabby flow front
More disruption of slabby flow front

More disruption of slabby flow front.

More disruption of slabby flow front
More disruption of slabby flow front
More disruption of slabby flow front

More disruption of slabby flow front.

Lava pours down pre1995 sea cliff
Lava pours down pre1995 sea cliff
Lava pours down pre1995 sea cliff

Lava pours down pre1995 sea cliff. See stills above for more information. Note large file size. Warning: turn down your sound; lots of wind noise.

Lava pours down pre1995 sea cliff. See stills above for more information. Note large file size. Warning: turn down your sound; lots of wind noise.

PubTalk 12/2002 — Hawai`i's Volcanoes—Never a Dull Moment
PubTalk 12/2002 — Hawai`i's Volcanoes—Never a Dull Moment
PubTalk 12/2002 — Hawai`i's Volcanoes—Never a Dull Moment

20 Years of Eruption at Kilauea and Waiting for Mauna Loa

by Don Swanson,Volcanologist, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

 

PubTalk 11/2002 — What is a Butterfly Worth?
PubTalk 11/2002 — What is a Butterfly Worth?
PubTalk 11/2002 — What is a Butterfly Worth?

Challenge of Making Economic Estimates for Biodiversity

by Alicia Torregrosa, Geographer and Ecologist

 

Challenge of Making Economic Estimates for Biodiversity

by Alicia Torregrosa, Geographer and Ecologist