On the afternoon of December 27, 2021, the summit eruption of Kīlauea was paused and showed only intermittent and weak crustal foundering in the formerly active west side of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u. This photo, looking down and toward the east, shows the topography of the formerly active pond of lava during the eruption pause.
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Lava lake topography during an eruption pause
On the afternoon of December 27, 2021, the summit eruption of Kīlauea was paused and showed only intermittent and weak crustal foundering in the formerly active west side of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u. This photo, looking down and toward the east, shows the topography of the formerly active pond of lava during the eruption pause.
[V1cam] image taken December 23, 2021
View of the west vent in Halemaʻumaʻu and the lava lake, from the northwest rim of the caldera, looking east [V1cam]. Image taken December 23, 2021.
View of the west vent in Halemaʻumaʻu and the lava lake, from the northwest rim of the caldera, looking east [V1cam]. Image taken December 23, 2021.
Hannah Kruse
Hannah Kruse is a geologist with the USGS USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program who focuses on volcanic eruption chronologies past and present.
Hannah Kruse is a geologist with the USGS USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program who focuses on volcanic eruption chronologies past and present.
Benjamin Pauk
Ben Pauk is a geophysicist based at the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Ben Pauk is a geophysicist based at the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Christopher Harpel
Christopher Harpel is a geologist with the USGS-USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program.
Christopher Harpel is a geologist with the USGS-USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program.
Joseph Bard
Joseph Bard is a geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Joseph Bard is a geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Laura Clor
Laura Clor is a gas geochemist who works with the five U.S. Geological Survey volcano observatories.
Laura Clor is a gas geochemist who works with the five U.S. Geological Survey volcano observatories.
Emily Bryant
Emily Bryant works as a student intern at the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Emily Bryant works as a student intern at the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is a geographer and GIS specialist with the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Joel Robinson is a geographer and GIS specialist with the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Michael Mitchell
Michael Albert Mitchell is a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow working with the USGS Volcano Science Center.
Michael Albert Mitchell is a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow working with the USGS Volcano Science Center.
Sally Sennert
Sally Sennert works with the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program and the USGS Volcano Hazards Program.
Sally Sennert works with the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program and the USGS Volcano Hazards Program.
James Kauahikaua
Jim Kauahikaua is a volcano scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Jim Kauahikaua is a volcano scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
E. Frank Younger
E. Frank Younger is an expert in scientific instrumentation at the U.S. Geological SurveyHawaiian Volcano Observatory.
E. Frank Younger is an expert in scientific instrumentation at the U.S. Geological SurveyHawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Allan Lerner
Allan Lerner is a volcano gas geochemist who has worked with several USGS volcano observatories.
Allan Lerner is a volcano gas geochemist who has worked with several USGS volcano observatories.
Western half of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake during eruption pause
Activity was very low during the helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, on the morning of December 21. This view shows the west vent (near center) and the western part of the lava lake, where only a tiny portion of the surface was weakly active. The lava lake, which is in a state of pause, now has exposed walls due to a drop in the surface.
Activity was very low during the helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, on the morning of December 21. This view shows the west vent (near center) and the western part of the lava lake, where only a tiny portion of the surface was weakly active. The lava lake, which is in a state of pause, now has exposed walls due to a drop in the surface.
The west vent and lava lake during a pause in Halema‘uma‘u activity
An aerial view of the western portion of Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, during the December 21 helicopter overflight. Eruptive activity is paused, and only a weak gas plume was being emitted from the west vent (center right). Just north of (below) the west vent, a tiny pad of lava remained weakly active within the lake. USGS photo taken by D. Downs.
An aerial view of the western portion of Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, during the December 21 helicopter overflight. Eruptive activity is paused, and only a weak gas plume was being emitted from the west vent (center right). Just north of (below) the west vent, a tiny pad of lava remained weakly active within the lake. USGS photo taken by D. Downs.
Lava lake overflows onto a down-dropped block within Halema‘uma‘u
The lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, has slowly continued to rise over the past month. As the lake level rises, lava has flowed onto the lowest part of the lowest down-dropped block (right) from the 2018 Kīlauea summit collapse.
The lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea summit, has slowly continued to rise over the past month. As the lake level rises, lava has flowed onto the lowest part of the lowest down-dropped block (right) from the 2018 Kīlauea summit collapse.
Halema‘uma‘u activity December 20, 2021
A small amount of lava spatter was thrown from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 20, 2021. Lava continued to flow into the lake from a source north (left) of the main vent cone. Multiple sources of degassing can be seen on and around the vent cone. USGS photo by B. Carr.
A small amount of lava spatter was thrown from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 20, 2021. Lava continued to flow into the lake from a source north (left) of the main vent cone. Multiple sources of degassing can be seen on and around the vent cone. USGS photo by B. Carr.
Halema‘uma‘u lava lake levee overflow
A small amount of lava spatter was thrown from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 20, 2021. Lava continued to flow into the lake from a source north (left) of the main vent cone. Multiple sources of degassing can be seen on and around the vent cone. USGS photo by B. Carr.
A small amount of lava spatter was thrown from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 20, 2021. Lava continued to flow into the lake from a source north (left) of the main vent cone. Multiple sources of degassing can be seen on and around the vent cone. USGS photo by B. Carr.
Wendy McCausland
Wendy McCausland is a volcano seismologist who works with the Cascades Volcano Observatory to help understand volcanic seismicity and its use in eruption forecastings.
Wendy McCausland is a volcano seismologist who works with the Cascades Volcano Observatory to help understand volcanic seismicity and its use in eruption forecastings.
Kevin Pesola.png
Kevin Pesola is an administrative support specialist with the USGS Volcano Science Center. He is based at the Cascades Volcano Observatory.
Kevin Pesola is an administrative support specialist with the USGS Volcano Science Center. He is based at the Cascades Volcano Observatory.