Videos

USGS–Hawaiian Volcano Observatory research geologist Matt Patrick talks about the lava lake in the Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the Kīlauea Volcano (Hawaii). Dr. Patrick describes the eruption that created the lava lake and points out features of the lake including moving crustal plates, gas bursts, spatter and collapse scars on the crater rim. Dr.

USGS–Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Mike Poland, Deputy Scientist-in-Charge Wendy Stovall, and Chief Seismologist Jamie Farrell answer questions from the public about Yellowstone earthquakes, deformation, eruptive history, the magmatic plumbing system, and more, during a USGS Volcanoes Facebook Live event recorded on March 7, 2018, at the USGS–C

This time-lapse image sequence spans just over an hour (7:50 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) on February 10. The sequence, which is repeated 20 times in this "movie," shows subsidence and collapse of the northeast rim of the west pit within the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone.

This video shows a rockfall and subsequent explosion that occurred at 7:03 a.m. HST today within the "Overlook crater" at the summit of Kīlauea. This collapse was followed by a smaller rockfall at 7:07 a.m. (not shown in video).

In March 2008, a new volcanic vent opened within Halema‘uma‘u, a crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Island of Hawaiʻi. This new vent is one of two ongoing eruptions on the volcano. The other is on Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone, where vents have been erupting nearly nonstop since 1983.

Seismometers record vibrations from a wide assortment of ground motion events. Each event type has a distinctive ground-motion signal with unique frequency and amplitude—its own seismic signature. Seismologists are trained to identify the source of seismic events seen on a webicorder based on its ‘seismic signature’.

Breakouts remain active on the coastal plain, near the base of the pali. This pāhoehoe breakout was pouring into a small crack when HVO geologists encountered It this afternoon.

Breakouts remain active on the coastal plain and pali. A small channelized 'a'ā flow was moving through a kipuka near the base of the pali, with several open channels higher on the pali.

Video of an active breakout of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō episode 61G lava flow. This breakout is below the pali on the eastern margin of the flow. Pāhoehoe lava is flowing out from the base of an inflated tumulus, and has a characteristic blue tint to its surface crust (compared to the color of solidified lava around it).

A new HVO webcam provides improved views of Mauna Loa's summit caldera, Moku‘āweoweo, from the northwest rim. This time-lapse sequence shows a full day on Sunday, Dec. 3, starting and ending at midnight. The full moon and sensitive low-light ability of the camera allow good views throughout the nighttime hours.

An impressive channelized breakout appeared on the pali this morning, with lava emerging from the tube and swiftly flowing down the channel towards the base of the pali and coastal plain. Breakouts like these happen occasionally on the pali and are normally short lived.

This video shows typical spattering in the summit lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Spattering is driven by the bursting of large gas bubbles. The surface crust tends to flow into the spattering sites, where the crust is shredded and sinks.

A helicopter overflight provided good view of Kīlauea caldera. This video starts from the east, near Kīlauea Iki, and heads west towards Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Spattering in the summit lava lake can be seen by the small orange spot in Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The gas plume from the lake is carried southwest by trade winds.

A routine helicopter overflight today provided good views of Mauna Loa's summit caldera. The video starts from the northeast end of the caldera, near North Pit, and travels southwest. In the southwest portion of the caldera, the prominent 1940 cone is followed by the 1949 cone on the caldera rim. The video ends with the steep walls of South Pit.

Time-lapse movie showing 2.5 days of lava falls onto the western side of Kamokuna delta on Kīlauea Volcano. The movie starts just before sunset on Monday Oct 2nd, 2017, and ends in the morning of Oct 5th, 2017.

Breakouts remain active on the coastal plain and pali. Pāhoehoe breakouts were scattered across the coastal plain, while small channelized 'a'ā flows have recently been present on the steep slopes of the pali.

This video shows the Kamokuna lava delta growing and sinking over a 1 month time span between 15 August 2017 and 19 September 2017. Made from one image every other day. The video is looped 10 times, with the loop number in the upper left corner.

Spattering is common in Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake, and consists of many large bursting gas bubbles. The fluid nature of the lake can be seen when lava hits the wall and flows downward like syrup. The thin, flexible nature of the crust is also shown here, as the bursting gas bubbles rip and fold the thin skin on the lake.

A shatter ring forms and grows on the Kamokuna lava delta. This video shows repeated uplift and subsidence of the delta surface by the lava supply under the surface. This process creates a large round rubble pile, called a shatter ring.

A shatter ring forms and grows on the Kamokuna lava delta. This video shows repeated uplift and subsidence of the delta surface by the lava supply under the surface. This process creates a large round rubble pile, called a shatter ring.

An Instagram Story posted to the @USGS Instagram account about Matt Patrick, Research Geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO).