Images

In this photo taken at about 6 a.m. HST on June 3, both lava fountains (left) and emissions of volcanic ash (right) are visible erupting from the new fissures in Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone. The ash is dark gray, while the remainder of the whitish plumes are composed of steam and other volcanic gases. USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

Around 6 a.m. HST on June 3, 2024, a helicopter overflight by USGS HVO scientists was observed by a field crew taking gas measurements of the new fissure eruption in Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone.  USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

While observing the new fissure eruption in Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone, HVO scientists in the field were treated to views of rainbow terminating in the cloud of volcanic gases. USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

A field team of HVO geochemists visited the site of Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone fissure eruption to measure gases released from the fissures. The team used a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, an instrument that detects gas compositions on the basis of absorbed infrared light. USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

On June 3, 2024, HVO field crews collected cooled spatter from the then inactive vents of Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone eruption. Samples are processed in the laboratory to determine their chemistry, which helps HVO scientists understand where the magmas were stored prior to eruption. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

The recent Southwest Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea produced small volumes of lava, and fountains left volcanic spatter on top of and beyond the extent of the newly erupted flows. The collected pieces of spatter range in size up to 4 inches (1 to 10 centimeters). USGS image by A.R. Nalesnik.

The recent Southwest Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea produced small volumes of lava and spatter. When very fluid lava lands on the ground, it may flatten upon impact and produce spatter known as 'pancake bombs.' When lava is stretched even further when cooling, thin strands of glass (Pele's hair) are created.

Early morning glow of the eruption southwest of Kīlauea summit on June 3, 2024. This image was taken at 4:27 a.m. HST looking southeast toward the eruptive fissures. USGS image by H Winslow.

HVO staff are conducting the annual Mauna Loa GPS campaign. During the survey, GPS instruments are deployed at established benchmarks so that their recorded positions can be compared with those from previous years to discern subtle patterns of ground deformation associated with volcanic activity.

A benchmark on Mauna Loa being surveyed by GPS campaign instruments. The metal disk on the ground beneath the tripod is the benchmark, which is cemented to the lava flow surface. USGS photo by A. Ellis.

Another GPS survey benchmark being occupied on Mauna Loa, with views of Hualālai and Haleakalā in the background. USGS photo by A. Ellis.

GPS campaign equipment being staged prior to deployment on Mauna Loa for the annual survey. Temporary GPS receivers and antennas are placed on tripods centered over benchmarks, which serve as a reference point for centering of the antenna. The equipment is left in place to collect data for a couple of days at each site.

A close up of the cone that formed in the June 2023 eruption, at the southwest end of Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Lava from the vent poured into a ponded region, which later drained as the eruption waned. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A view of Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea, taken from the southwest caldera rim on May 10, 2024. While seismicity has been elevated in the south caldera and upper East Rift Zone in the past week, nothing unusual was observed on the surface today. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

On May 10, HVO staff performed maintenance on the F1cam, the thermal camera at the summit of Kīlauea.

On May 8, 2024, HVO staff conducted a gravity survey around Kaluapele (the summit caldera of Kīlauea) in response to current unrest and to supplement a larger survey done in March 2024. Measurements of gravity over time can show how mass is distributed beneath a volcano.

An HVO scientist takes gravity measurements at a benchmark near a crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The gravimeter is the small, shoebox-sized instrument, which can measure a change in the force of gravity to one-in-one billionth of the force you feel every day. USGS photo by A. Ellis.

Gravity measurements detect subsurface mass change—for example, magma accumulation or removal beneath the surface. In this way, gravity is a way of detecting changes in the magma reservoir that might otherwise be hidden. This photo shows two gravimeters used one-at-a-time to take measurements. USGS photo by A. Ellis.

This map shows recent deformation at Kīlauea from April 19 to May 5, 2024, as recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (AGI) Cosmo-SkyMED satellite. Colored fringes denote areas of ground deformation, with more fringes indicating more deformation.  Each color cycle represents 1.5 cm (0.6 in) of ground motion indicative of inflation as the magma reservoi

This map depicts recent unrest at Kīlauea. Yellow circles mark the locations of approximately 1,600 earthquakes that have occurred between April 27 and May 2, 2024. Most earthquakes have been smaller than magnitude-2, with locations clustering in an area known as the upper East Rift Zone or East Rift connector.

This photo shows the southwest portion of Kaluapele (Kīlauea's summit caldera). In the lower right corner of the image is the cone formed during the June 2023 eruption. This cone hosted impressive lava fountaining that supplied lava through a narrow channel into the lava pond in the lower left portion of the image. USGS photo by M. Patrick.