Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

Browse here for some of our available imagery. We may get permission to use some non-USGS images and these should be marked and are subject to copyright laws. USGS Astrogeology images can be freely downloaded.

Filter Total Items: 252
Image: A'a' Channel
A'a' Channel
A'a' Channel
A'a' Channel

An a'a' channel near the Royal Gardens subdivision on Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. The flows in the background are from the 1980s. Note that the flow level is below the levees and the pahoehoe overflows emplaced on top of the a'a'. 

An a'a' channel near the Royal Gardens subdivision on Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. The flows in the background are from the 1980s. Note that the flow level is below the levees and the pahoehoe overflows emplaced on top of the a'a'. 

Image: A'a' Channel
A'a' Channel
A'a' Channel
A'a' Channel

Detail of levee on an active channelized aa flow. Note the pahoehoe overflows in the levees and the level of the active flow below the tops of the levees. This lower flow level is not allowed in the commonly used "Bingham" model of lava flows.

Detail of levee on an active channelized aa flow. Note the pahoehoe overflows in the levees and the level of the active flow below the tops of the levees. This lower flow level is not allowed in the commonly used "Bingham" model of lava flows.

Image: Pu’u ‘Ō’ō
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō

Pu’u ‘Ō’ō is a cinder and spatter cone in Kilauea’s east rift zone. It began erupting on January 3, 1983; a summary of its eruption can be found here. This image shows the result of the largest of the collapse pits that began to appear around 1993.

Pu’u ‘Ō’ō is a cinder and spatter cone in Kilauea’s east rift zone. It began erupting on January 3, 1983; a summary of its eruption can be found here. This image shows the result of the largest of the collapse pits that began to appear around 1993.

Europa Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic
Europa Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic
Europa Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic
Europa Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic

This image shows two views of the trailing hemisphere of Jupiter's ice-covered satellite, Europa. The left image shows the approximate natural color appearance of Europa. The image on the right is a false-color composite version combining violet, green and infrared images to enhance color differences in the predominantly water-ice crust of Europa.

This image shows two views of the trailing hemisphere of Jupiter's ice-covered satellite, Europa. The left image shows the approximate natural color appearance of Europa. The image on the right is a false-color composite version combining violet, green and infrared images to enhance color differences in the predominantly water-ice crust of Europa.

Ganymede Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic
Ganymede Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic
Ganymede Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic
Ganymede Galileo SSI Natural Color Mosaic

Natural color view of Ganymede from the Galileo spacecraft during its first encounter with the satellite. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from the right. The dark areas are the older, more heavily cratered regions and the light areas are younger, tectonically deformed regions.

Natural color view of Ganymede from the Galileo spacecraft during its first encounter with the satellite. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from the right. The dark areas are the older, more heavily cratered regions and the light areas are younger, tectonically deformed regions.

Image: Channelized Dacite Flow
Channelized Dacite Flow
Channelized Dacite Flow
Channelized Dacite Flow

A crystallized dacite flow in northern Chile. Dacite is extrusive and the volcanic equivalent of granodiorite. 

A crystallized dacite flow in northern Chile. Dacite is extrusive and the volcanic equivalent of granodiorite. 

Image: Channelized Flow on Socompa
Channelized Flow on Socompa
Channelized Flow on Socompa
Channelized Flow on Socompa

Channelized flows on Socompa. Socompa is a large stratovolcano on the border between Chile and Argentina, the youngest of a chain of volcanoes that runs northeast to southwest.

Channelized flows on Socompa. Socompa is a large stratovolcano on the border between Chile and Argentina, the youngest of a chain of volcanoes that runs northeast to southwest.

Image: Burst tumulus
Burst tumulus
Burst tumulus
Burst tumulus

A burst tumulus near Kamokuna, which is a lava delta where Puʻu ʻŌʻō flows enter the Pacific Ocean. Tumuli can burst when the influx of lava is rapid compared to the rate at which the crust is thickening by cooling. In these cases the pressure driving the lava is significantly greater than the weight of the overlying crust.

A burst tumulus near Kamokuna, which is a lava delta where Puʻu ʻŌʻō flows enter the Pacific Ocean. Tumuli can burst when the influx of lava is rapid compared to the rate at which the crust is thickening by cooling. In these cases the pressure driving the lava is significantly greater than the weight of the overlying crust.

Image: Drippy tumulus
Drippy tumulus
Drippy tumulus
Drippy tumulus

A “drippy” tumulus near Kamokuna, which is a lava delta where Puʻu ʻŌʻō flows enter the Pacific Ocean. These tumuli form when the upwelling lava has a steady pressure and rate of movement, so the upper crust does not break apart. Instead, the lava slowly squeezes out.

A “drippy” tumulus near Kamokuna, which is a lava delta where Puʻu ʻŌʻō flows enter the Pacific Ocean. These tumuli form when the upwelling lava has a steady pressure and rate of movement, so the upper crust does not break apart. Instead, the lava slowly squeezes out.

Image: West Kamokuna Skylight
West Kamokuna Skylight
West Kamokuna Skylight
West Kamokuna Skylight

Subsequent flows have fed lava into the skylight. A stationary crust is formed on margins of the flowing lava within the tube at this location, probably due to the loss of heat through the skylight.

Subsequent flows have fed lava into the skylight. A stationary crust is formed on margins of the flowing lava within the tube at this location, probably due to the loss of heat through the skylight.

Image: Cinder Cone in Mount Aso
Cinder Cone in Mount Aso
Cinder Cone in Mount Aso
Cinder Cone in Mount Aso

A cinder cone within the Mount Aso caldera, located on Kyushu Island, Japan. The caldera contains several cinder cones and stratovolcanoes.

A cinder cone within the Mount Aso caldera, located on Kyushu Island, Japan. The caldera contains several cinder cones and stratovolcanoes.

Image: Flat tumulus
Flat tumulus
Flat tumulus
Flat tumulus

Flat-topped tumulus on Mauna Ulu lavas along Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii. Tumuli are just one end-member of a wide range of features formed by inflation of lava flows. A flat-topped tumulus is a half-way between a classic tumulus and a "lava-rise" or inflation plateau.

Flat-topped tumulus on Mauna Ulu lavas along Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii. Tumuli are just one end-member of a wide range of features formed by inflation of lava flows. A flat-topped tumulus is a half-way between a classic tumulus and a "lava-rise" or inflation plateau.

Image: Flat Tumuli
Flat Tumuli
Flat Tumuli
Flat Tumuli

Flat-topped tumulus on Mauna Ulu lavas along Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii. Tumuli are just one end-member of a wide range of features formed by inflation of lava flows. A flat-topped tumulus is a half-way between a classic tumulus and a "lava-rise" or inflation plateau.

Flat-topped tumulus on Mauna Ulu lavas along Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii. Tumuli are just one end-member of a wide range of features formed by inflation of lava flows. A flat-topped tumulus is a half-way between a classic tumulus and a "lava-rise" or inflation plateau.

Image: Draped Scoria Cone
Draped Scoria Cone
Draped Scoria Cone
Draped Scoria Cone

Draped scoria cone; partially collapsed. Roza Member, Columbia River Basalt Group. East of Winona, WA.

Draped scoria cone; partially collapsed. Roza Member, Columbia River Basalt Group. East of Winona, WA.

Image: Detail of pahoehoe lobe
Detail of pahoehoe lobe
Detail of pahoehoe lobe
Detail of pahoehoe lobe

A detail of a pahoehoe lobe at the top of a tumulus. The upper crust that is lifted up during the formation of a tumulus is typically quite vesicular (has lots of bubbled trapped in it). Roza Formation, Columbia River Basalt Group. Southwest of Quincy, WA.

A detail of a pahoehoe lobe at the top of a tumulus. The upper crust that is lifted up during the formation of a tumulus is typically quite vesicular (has lots of bubbled trapped in it). Roza Formation, Columbia River Basalt Group. Southwest of Quincy, WA.

Image: Welded Scoria
Welded Scoria
Welded Scoria
Welded Scoria

Samples of welded scoria. Scoria is another word for the ‘cinders’ that make up volcanic cinder cones. Roza Member, Columbia River Basalt Group. Southeast of Winona, WA.

Samples of welded scoria. Scoria is another word for the ‘cinders’ that make up volcanic cinder cones. Roza Member, Columbia River Basalt Group. Southeast of Winona, WA.

Image: Bifurcating Skylight
Bifurcating Skylight
Bifurcating Skylight
Bifurcating Skylight

A skylight near Pulama Pali, which is the slope where flows from Pu’u O’o make their way toward the sea. Here, the skylight allows one to see where the lava tube is splitting into two branches.

A skylight near Pulama Pali, which is the slope where flows from Pu’u O’o make their way toward the sea. Here, the skylight allows one to see where the lava tube is splitting into two branches.

Colorized topography (GEDR) over the C3-MIDR mosaic.
Magellan Global C3-MDIR Colorized Topographic Mosaic
Magellan Global C3-MDIR Colorized Topographic Mosaic
Magellan Global C3-MDIR Colorized Topographic Mosaic

The original Magellan Compressed Mosaicked Image Data Record (C3-MIDR) archive contains three times compressed mosaics of image swaths (C-BIDRs) at a resolution of 2025 m/pixel. C3-MIDRs consist of mosaics generated by computing 3x3 pixel arithmetic moving averages from the C2-MIDRs.

The original Magellan Compressed Mosaicked Image Data Record (C3-MIDR) archive contains three times compressed mosaics of image swaths (C-BIDRs) at a resolution of 2025 m/pixel. C3-MIDRs consist of mosaics generated by computing 3x3 pixel arithmetic moving averages from the C2-MIDRs.

Image: Pu’u ‘Ō’ō
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō

Pu’u ‘Ō’ō is a cinder and spatter cone in Kilauea’s east rift zone. It began erupting on January 3, 1983; a summary of its eruption can be found here. This image shows the cone just starting to form a collapse pit on its flank.

Pu’u ‘Ō’ō is a cinder and spatter cone in Kilauea’s east rift zone. It began erupting on January 3, 1983; a summary of its eruption can be found here. This image shows the cone just starting to form a collapse pit on its flank.

Image: Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Lava Lake
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Lava Lake
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Lava Lake
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Lava Lake

View of the lava lake found inside the crater in Pu’u ‘Ō’ō cinder cone.

View of the lava lake found inside the crater in Pu’u ‘Ō’ō cinder cone.

Image: Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Crater
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Crater
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Crater
Pu’u ‘Ō’ō Crater

View of the crater at the top of the Pu’u ‘Ō’ō cinder cone prior to the appearance of collapse pits in the flank of the cone.

View of the crater at the top of the Pu’u ‘Ō’ō cinder cone prior to the appearance of collapse pits in the flank of the cone.