Images

Photo of the new lava lake within Halema'uma'u crater at Kīlauea summit taken early in the morning on September 30. This view from the northwest rim of Halema'uma'u shows two webcams facing the new eruption, with fissures producing lava that is accumulating within the crater.

An image of the new Kīlauea summit fissure eruption within Halema'uma'u crater taken at approximately 4:15 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist takes video of the eruption that started within Halema'uma'u crater, Kīlauea summit, at about 3:20 p.m. on September 29, 2021. Scientists continue to monitor the eruption and hazards from within an area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public due to safety reasons.

Kīlauea volcano is erupting. With the summit eruption continuing through the night, HVO scientists monitor the eruption for changes in activity and volcanic hazards. High levels of volcanic gases are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind. USGS photo taken by D. Downs.

This image from the northwest rim of Halema'uma'u crater was taken in the late morning on September 29, 2021, just a few hours before the new Kīlauea summit eruption began. The solidified lava lake (center) was emplaced between December 2020 and May 2021. USGS photo taken by L. Gallant.

A telephoto image of fissures that opened on the western wall of Halema'uma'u crater during the ongoing eruption that began yesterday, September 29, at approximately 3:21 p.m. HST. Lava from multiple fissures continues to slowly raise the level of the new active lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS image by M. Patrick.

The ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema'uma'u crater continues to feed low lava fountains in the center of the lava lake (pictured) and along the western wall of Halema'uma'u. This telephoto image is looking east at the center of the rising lava lake.

Kīlauea volcano is erupting. At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, an eruption began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater are generating lava flows on the surface of the lava lake that was active until May 2021.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, an eruption began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The new eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea's summit is depositing tephra downwind of the erupting vents. Tephra is a term that describes products of an eruption that travel through the air before being deposited.

At approximately 4:43 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, another vent opened on the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. This telephoto image shows the vent area and lava fountain through volcanic gas. USGS image. 

At approximately 4:43 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, another vent opened on the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, a little more than an hour after new fissure vents opened on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. By 5:09 p.m., when this photo was taken, the west wall vents had grown.

An eruption began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on September 29, 2021. Vigorous lava fountains formed in the middle part of the lava lake that was active in Halemaʻumaʻu crater from December 2020 until May 2021.

The eruption that began today within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, is generating a vigorous plume of volcanic gas.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists collect tephra samples from the recent eruption within Halema'uma'u, at Kīlauea summit.  Geochemical analyses of these eruption products will provide information about magma storage prior to the eruption. USGS image by K. Lynn. 

A telephoto image of one of the low lava fountains near the center of the growing Halema'uma'u lava lake. The ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is confined within Halema'uma'u, with numerous lava fountains producing lava and volcanic gases.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption as of approximately 6:00 PM on September 29, 2021. Several new fissures (orange lines) within Halema‘uma‘u have erupted enough lava (red) to cover nearly all of the 12/2021–5/2021 lava lake by more than 36 ft (11 m).

This timelapse image sequence shows the opening sequence of the new eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The first few moments are shown on a loop several times to highlight the visible uplift of the crater floor, just before the appearance of new fissures.

Complex aquifer system simulated in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California.

Landsat 9 is the latest in a prestigious line of satellites that have been watching our planet for nearly 50 years. They have monitored changes on land and made that information freely available to users around the world.