Images

Incandescent lines mark the boundaries between migrating crustal plates on the surface of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater. Here, and at other lava lakes across the world, these rifting zones have a characteristic zigzag pattern.

Vigorous spattering was present this evening along the western margin of the summit lava lake. Occasional bursts, like the one shown here, appeared to send tiny bits of spatter up to the level of the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

The lava lake fills Overlook crater, about 160 m (525 ft) across, contained within Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The walls of Halema‘uma‘u Crater show white in the middle distance, while the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and NPS Jaggar Museum, perched on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera, are visible as a small bump on the horizon.

Sunset, with the vigorous spattering source on the west margin of the lake visible.

Incandescent lines mark the boundaries between migrating crustal plates on the surface of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater. Here, and at other lava lakes across the world, these rifting zones have a characteristic zigzag pattern.

View of the lava lake at Kīlauea's summit at sunset. The lake is about 42 m (138 ft) below the floor of Halema‘uma‘u.

Close-up photo of the lava lake surface.

Dust from a small rockfall coats a small section of the lava lake surface and wafts above the rockfall's impact scar.

A rebound splash from a small impacting rock jets several meters above the lake surface.

The lava lake in the 'overlook' vent in Halema‘uma‘u reached to within 38 m of the crater floor, filling the entire bottom of the vent.

Students participate in the Great Southeast ShakeOut earthquake drill at Langston Hughes Middle School in Reston, Virginia. They are conducting the "drop, cover and hold on" safety procedure.

The small lava lake in the pit on the northeastern side of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor remains active as well. Lava rises at the right side of the lake (west) and sinks where the heavy fume is rising at the left side (east).

Lava erupting from a vent on the northeast flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō travels through tubes to the coastal plain, where surface flows are currently active. Holes in the roof of the lava tube, called skylights, reveal the lava stream contained within.

The lava lake at Kīlauea's summit remains high, probably 45-50 m (150-165 ft) below the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater. This view, looking toward the southwest, shows the lava ledge on the rarely seen southern side of the pit. The spattering is at the point where the circulating lava lake sinks back down.

A closer view of the spattering at the point of downwelling. From the position of the Halema‘uma‘u webcam at the visitor overlook, the spattering looks like it might be at the base of the crater wall. This photo shows that the spattering is actually 60-70 m (200-230 ft) out from the wall, toward the center of the pit.

A portrait view of the lava lake with the opposite wall of Halema‘uma‘u beyond and the caldera wall of Kīlauea in the background. Jaggar Museum and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) adorn the summit of Kīlauea at upper right.

The lava lake at Kīlauea's summit was about 46 m (150 ft) below the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater today—the highest it has reached.

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.

Closer view of lava flows cascading down onto the coastal plain at the base of the Pūlama pali. A remnant section of Orchid Street is visible just above the center of the image.

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.

Advancing surface flows reached the base of the Pūlama pali over the past few days, burning through one of the few remaining forested kipuka in the abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision. The white line marks the outline of the active flows.