Images

pāhoehoe flows were active on the coastal plain today, but extended only about 400 m (440 yards) out from the base of the pali. These flows have about 2.8 km (1.7 miles) more to travel to reach the ocean. Farther up the hill, on the steep lower portion of the pali, several active ‘A‘ā cascades are visible.

Volcano monitoring stations must be designed to withstand harsh winter conditions.

USGS scientist repairs the Loowit AFM station above Loowit Falls.

Volcanically-heated water of Loowit Creek flows from Mount St. Helens' crater through Loowit Channel.

Southerly winds afforded a rare view of the south side of the Overlook vent in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, within Kīlauea's caldera. The collapse crater that defines the opening of the vent is about 160 m (~525 ft) across and 80 m (~260 ft) deep. The fence for the old tourist overlook is faintly visible at the upper right side of the photo.

The channelized flow show here just reaching the base of the Pulama pali is the leading edge of flows that destroyed the last occupied house in the Royal Gardens subdivision. One abandoned structure still stands.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jaggar Museum, shown in this photo, sit atop the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. The snow-capped summit of Mauna Loa, nearly 10,000 feet higher than Kīlauea, looms in the background.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jaggar Museum, shown in this photo, sit atop the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. The snow-capped summit of Mauna Loa, nearly 10,000 feet higher than Kīlauea, looms in the background.

This composite image is an overlay of a thermal image over a normal photograph, and shows the active flows traveling down the pali, through Royal Gardens subdivision. The names of the roads not covered by lava are shown in white text. The last occupied residence in Royal Gardens is just west of the Plumeria-Hoku intersection.

Hawai‘i Island 4th grade student Jyron Young was awarded the Grand Prize in HVO's centennial poster contest for his stunning artwork depicting 100 years of volcano watching (top center). All ten winning posters are posted on HVO's website at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/. USGS photo.

Preview image for video: begins with a view of lava in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō made possible by a small collapse pit. The lava is swiftly moving towards the northeast, and this represents lava within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater that is entering the lava tube system which, in turn, feeds the active flow field.

At the front of the active flow field, several narrow streams of lava were active, reflecting a relatively high level of activity today.

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

This photograph shows the east rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. A collapsed spatter cone revealed a swiftly flowing stream of lava heading northeast, into the tube system that supplies the active flow field. The active flows today were 6 km (3.7 miles) southeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

Four scientists are busy reviewing seismic data, checking maps, and uploading activity updates in the USGS Volcano Hazards Program's Volcano Observatory operations room from the Menlo Park, California USGS campus.

This image of a dusty plume produced by rocks collapsing from the wall of the eruptive vent within Kīlauea Volcano's Halema‘uma‘u Crater was captured by a USGS time-lapse camera on December 21, 2011. Vigorous spattering on the lava lake deep within the vent created the orange glow visible at the base of the plume.

Erupting vents on Mauna Loa's northeast rift zone near Pu‘u ‘Ula‘ula (Red Hill) on March 25, 1984, sent massive ‘A‘ā lava flows down the rift toward Kulani.

With funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, HVO recently upgraded its seismic monitoring network. Here, HVO staff, assisted by an HVO volunteer, installs the solar panel and antenna for one of the upgraded seismic stations on Kīlauea. USGS photo by Janet Babb.

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.

View looking east at a small lava lake filling a depression on the eastern side of floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. The smooth surface of the lake is just above the center of the photo, and the source of the lava is a hole at the southern edge of the lake (to the right in this view).

Surface flows, visible here as the lighter-colored lava, were active about 4 km (2.5 miles) east-southeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, where a low rootless shield is being constructed. This view is looking toward the northwest.