Images

An HVO geologist returns from checking on spatter collection trays on the rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. In the upper right, the active lava pond in the crater is tossing a small amount of spatter into the air. The photo above this one shows a bird's-eye view of the lava pond and this area.

One of the last remaining portions of Royal Gardens subdivision, showing the overgrown remnants of Prince Avenue and Orchid Street. Flows were active on the east (right) side of this kipuka about one month ago, and flows were active today at the northern tip (upper left).

About one month ago, lava spilled westward through this roadcut along Paradise Street in Royal Gardens subdivision, hitting a long-abandoned vehicle and just touching the margin of flows from an earlier episode of the current eruption (lower right).

Close up of pahoehoe ropes from the tumulus breakout.

The western branch of the coastal plain flow field is inflated and more active than the eastern branch. Here, a breakout from a tumulus feeds a ropey pahoehoe flow. The fume in the background on the pali marks the lava flow activity that is feeding the coastal breakouts.

Tilt measured at the summit of Kīlauea during March 1-7, 2012, shows a series of U- and V-shaped DI events, with deflation indicated by downward tilt and inflation by upward tilt. Images from a thermal camera that overlooks the summit eruptive vent demonstrate how the lava level (noted by white dashed line), depicted by warmer colors, charges across tilt cycles.

Thomas A. Jaggar founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912 and served as its Director until 1940. Shown here in 1925, Jaggar is at work in HVO's first building, which, at the time, was located on the northeast rim of Kīlauea Volcano's summit caldera, near the present-day Volcano House hotel.

Ash-laden Halema‘uma‘u plume captures the rainbow in the early morning light. Photo taken from Steaming Bluffs.

Halema‘uma‘u plume, just minutes after it turns from bright white to reddish-brown. Notice the contrast from bright white in the sky to reddish-brown near the vent.

Halema‘uma‘u plume captures the sun in the early morning, creating a picturesque sight.

With stagnant winds present, Halema‘uma‘u plume stands straight up, showing off the distant, but bright, full moon.

Lava flows creep through the Royal Gardens subdivision on February 24, 2012, slowly burying the few remaining forested kipuka.

This panorama, taken from the eastern rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, shows the broken, jumbled crater floor. In the right portion of the photograph, near the northeast rim of the crater, a collapsed cone hosted a small roiling lava pond today.

Higher up on the flow field, fume marks the trace of the lava tube. In the lower left portion of the photograph, a glowing skylight can be seen. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is visible near the top of the photo.

Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.

Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active.

This thermal image, looking west, shows the meager activity out on the flow field today, due to an ongoing deflation event at the summit. On the coastal plain, the red and orange areas depict flows that have been active over the past two weeks, but are now stalled.

An HVO geologist sets up a webcam to monitor active flows on the coastal plain.

A small pāhoehoe lobe slowly flows into a crack on the flow field.

pāhoehoe flows remain active on the upper coastal plain, extending a few hundred meters out from the base of the pali. The activity today was relatively sluggish, likely because of a recent deflation phase at the summit.

A) Example of an ashmeter deployed in the backyard of Rodrigo Ruiz on January 14, 2012 (Pillate); B) An example of a thin (1.1 mm-thick) deposit collected March 14, 2012 in Pillate, from the February 4, 2012 eruption. From Bernard (2013).