This preliminary thickness map of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone lava flows was calculated by subtracting pre-eruption ground surface elevations from post-eruption ground surface elevations mapped with USGS Unmanned Aerial System (drone) flights.
Images
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.
This preliminary thickness map of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone lava flows was calculated by subtracting pre-eruption ground surface elevations from post-eruption ground surface elevations mapped with USGS Unmanned Aerial System (drone) flights.
Department of Interior UAS pilots from left to right – Elizabeth Pendleton (USGS, Woods Hole, MA), Colin Milone (Office of Aviation Services, AK), John Vogel (USGS; Flagstaff, AZ), Sandy Brosnahan (USGS, Woods Hole, MA), Brandon Forbes (USGS; Tucson, AZ), Chris Holmquist-Johnson (USGS; Fort Collins, CO),&nb
Department of Interior UAS pilots from left to right – Elizabeth Pendleton (USGS, Woods Hole, MA), Colin Milone (Office of Aviation Services, AK), John Vogel (USGS; Flagstaff, AZ), Sandy Brosnahan (USGS, Woods Hole, MA), Brandon Forbes (USGS; Tucson, AZ), Chris Holmquist-Johnson (USGS; Fort Collins, CO),&nb
![Color plots and photographs showing Ambae eruption and impacts](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Ambae_VM3.jpg?itok=w4ISQAMe)
Ambae Island is in the northern Vanuatu archipelago (Figure A, courtesy of NASA) and hosts a nested caldera at its summit. A temporary seismic-acoustic array was deployed beginning July 2018 (yellow squares). Local airports are marked by the red squares.
Ambae Island is in the northern Vanuatu archipelago (Figure A, courtesy of NASA) and hosts a nested caldera at its summit. A temporary seismic-acoustic array was deployed beginning July 2018 (yellow squares). Local airports are marked by the red squares.
New Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Deputy Scientist-in-Charge David Phillips and his wife Francine Coloma with Japan's iconic Mt. Fuji in the background.
New Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Deputy Scientist-in-Charge David Phillips and his wife Francine Coloma with Japan's iconic Mt. Fuji in the background.
Plot of ground motion as recorded by a GPS station at Kīlauea's summit (red) and the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent (blue) for the 8 months leading up to the 2018 eruption. Note the sharp increase indicating pressurization beginning in March. Image shows an aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u crater and the actively overflowing lava lake on April 23, 2018.
Plot of ground motion as recorded by a GPS station at Kīlauea's summit (red) and the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent (blue) for the 8 months leading up to the 2018 eruption. Note the sharp increase indicating pressurization beginning in March. Image shows an aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u crater and the actively overflowing lava lake on April 23, 2018.
An aerial view of the prominent 1940 cinder-and-spatter cone on the floor of Mauna Loa's summit caldera. The cone, about 100 m (330 ft) high, was built during a 134-day-long eruption that began on April 7, 1940. Most of the caldera floor around the cone is covered by lava flows erupted in 1984.
An aerial view of the prominent 1940 cinder-and-spatter cone on the floor of Mauna Loa's summit caldera. The cone, about 100 m (330 ft) high, was built during a 134-day-long eruption that began on April 7, 1940. Most of the caldera floor around the cone is covered by lava flows erupted in 1984.
![Color graphic showing earthquake locations and counts over time](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/2018_Kilauea_eq_animation.jpg?itok=EyDRwB6z)
Thumbnail image for an animation of earthquake production during the 2018 eruption and caldera collapse of Kīlauea volcano
linkThumbnail image for an animation of earthquake production during the 2018 eruption and caldera collapse of Kīlauea volcano. Inset of the Hawaiian Islands shows the location of the main frame (red polygon).
Thumbnail image for an animation of earthquake production during the 2018 eruption and caldera collapse of Kīlauea volcano
linkThumbnail image for an animation of earthquake production during the 2018 eruption and caldera collapse of Kīlauea volcano. Inset of the Hawaiian Islands shows the location of the main frame (red polygon).
A midwinter dawn at Halema‘uma‘u on Kīlauea. Steaming cracks tell of water and heat interacting beneath the summit caldera of the volcano. In the background, the first rays of sunlight illuminate Uēkahuna Bluff.
A midwinter dawn at Halema‘uma‘u on Kīlauea. Steaming cracks tell of water and heat interacting beneath the summit caldera of the volcano. In the background, the first rays of sunlight illuminate Uēkahuna Bluff.
![HVO geologist Matthew Patrick being interviewed on the Kīlauea lava...](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/vhp_img5430.jpg?itok=RtLYLXl9)
HVO geologist Matthew Patrick being interviewed on the Kīlauea lava-flow field for a documentary about Hawaiian volcanism. Growing lava delta (left background) steaming at the point of ocean entry.
HVO geologist Matthew Patrick being interviewed on the Kīlauea lava-flow field for a documentary about Hawaiian volcanism. Growing lava delta (left background) steaming at the point of ocean entry.
September 19, 2018 USGS photo of the south caldera of Kīlauea Volcano showing the main collapse area. The south Sulphur Bank is in the left side of the photo. Uēkahuna Bluff, from where this photo was taken, cuts across the bottom and lower right corner of the photo. After the collapse of 1868, the caldera floor may have looked something like this.
September 19, 2018 USGS photo of the south caldera of Kīlauea Volcano showing the main collapse area. The south Sulphur Bank is in the left side of the photo. Uēkahuna Bluff, from where this photo was taken, cuts across the bottom and lower right corner of the photo. After the collapse of 1868, the caldera floor may have looked something like this.
Sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gases themselves are not visible, but dramatic plumes are sometimes visible at Kīlauea Volcano's summit (shown here) and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.
Sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gases themselves are not visible, but dramatic plumes are sometimes visible at Kīlauea Volcano's summit (shown here) and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.
![View into fissure 8](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/image1-1394.jpg?itok=pASo3qfA)
View into fissure 8 cone in Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone, after lava drained away.
View into fissure 8 cone in Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone, after lava drained away.
What is next for Kīlauea Volcano? This is a view of the summit area from the southwest, showing the collapsed area of Halema‘uma‘u and the adjacent caldera floor. A section of Crater Rim Drive preserved on a down-dropped block is visible at the far right.
What is next for Kīlauea Volcano? This is a view of the summit area from the southwest, showing the collapsed area of Halema‘uma‘u and the adjacent caldera floor. A section of Crater Rim Drive preserved on a down-dropped block is visible at the far right.
![panoramic view, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Crater Rim Drive](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/image1-1388.jpg?itok=IS5FijtW)
In this panoramic view, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Crater Rim Drive (left foreground) disappears into the enormous void created by the collapse of Halema‘uma‘u and portions of the Kīlauea caldera floor during the dramatic events at the summit of the volcano in May-August 2018.
In this panoramic view, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Crater Rim Drive (left foreground) disappears into the enormous void created by the collapse of Halema‘uma‘u and portions of the Kīlauea caldera floor during the dramatic events at the summit of the volcano in May-August 2018.
![USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff, September 2018.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/HVO.jpg?itok=SBfs4y7P)
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff, September 2018.
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff, September 2018.
In mid-July 2018, fissure 8 (shown here) on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone was emitting more than 50,000 tons of sulfur dioxide gas per day, creating high levels of vog on the island. Since early August, lower East Rift Zone SO2 emissions have dropped to less than 100 tons per day, resulting in better air quality for Hawaii.
In mid-July 2018, fissure 8 (shown here) on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone was emitting more than 50,000 tons of sulfur dioxide gas per day, creating high levels of vog on the island. Since early August, lower East Rift Zone SO2 emissions have dropped to less than 100 tons per day, resulting in better air quality for Hawaii.
At Kīlauea's summit today, a clear morning gave way to heavy rain, which re-mobilized the ash cover between HVO and the Southwest Rift Zone, concentrating the ash in washes.
At Kīlauea's summit today, a clear morning gave way to heavy rain, which re-mobilized the ash cover between HVO and the Southwest Rift Zone, concentrating the ash in washes.
Kīlauea Volcano’s summit, seen here from the northeast rim of the caldera, has remained quiet, with no collapse events since August 2. It remains too soon to tell if this diminished activity represents a temporary lull or the end of summit collapses.
Kīlauea Volcano’s summit, seen here from the northeast rim of the caldera, has remained quiet, with no collapse events since August 2. It remains too soon to tell if this diminished activity represents a temporary lull or the end of summit collapses.
The fissure 8 lava channel remains inactive and continues to cool.
The fissure 8 lava channel remains inactive and continues to cool.
Close view of the Pohoiki boat ramp during this morning's overflight. The southern-most flow margin has not advanced significantly toward the Pohoiki boat ramp, but black sand and larger fragments from the entry areas have washed ashore to create a sand bar and beach at this site.
Close view of the Pohoiki boat ramp during this morning's overflight. The southern-most flow margin has not advanced significantly toward the Pohoiki boat ramp, but black sand and larger fragments from the entry areas have washed ashore to create a sand bar and beach at this site.
Aerial view of the fissure 8 cone and spillway captured by Civil Air Patrol during their overflight on August 7, 2018. View is toward the south.
Aerial view of the fissure 8 cone and spillway captured by Civil Air Patrol during their overflight on August 7, 2018. View is toward the south.