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Photo and Video Chronology – Kīlauea – January 7, 2022

By Kīlauea January 7, 2022

An eruption at Kīlauea's summit began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021. Lava activity is currently confined within Halema‘uma‘u crater, in the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

HVO scientists collect detailed data to assess hazards and understand how the eruption is evolving at Kīlauea's summit, all of which are shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers. Access to this hazardous area is by permission from, and in coordination with, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Color map of a lava lake and the surrounding volcanic caldera
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on January 7, 2022. One eruptive vent is intermittently active within Halemaʻumaʻu, along the western edge of the lava lake. When this vent is effusing lava, it pours into the active portion of the lake, colored red on this map. During eruptive pauses, the only active lava is within a pond just north of the vent, colored dark purple on this map. The eruption statistics provided here are current as of the last HVO overflight on December 30, 2021; the volume-averaged surface of the whole lava lake was approximately 2,667 ft (813 m) above sea level at that time. Lava is presently visible from three public visitor overlooks in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: Kīlauea Overlook can see the southeastern edge of the lava lake, Keanakākoʻi Overlook can see the eruptive vent and surrounding lava, and Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge) can barely see the top of the vent. Visit the park eruption page for more info: https://go.nps.gov/new-eruption.
A telephoto color image of an active lava lake surface with lava spattering through the crust
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
A telephoto view of the lava lake, within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit taken yesterday, January 6. On the active western lava lake surface, there were over a dozen spattering sources observed around the lake. This behavior tends to pull surface crust towards the spattering source as it disrupts, consumes, and submerges the adjacent crust. USGS photo by C. Parcheta.
A telephoto color image of an active lava lake surface with lava spattering through the crust
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
A telephoto view of the lava lake, within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit taken yesterday, January 6. On the active western lava lake surface, there were over a dozen spattering sources observed around the lake. This behavior tends to pull surface crust towards the spattering source as it disrupts, consumes, and submerges the adjacent crust. USGS photo by C. Parcheta.

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