Images

During a gravity survey, HVO scientists measure the relative strength of gravity (gravimeter, bottom left corner of photo) between benchmarks. High-precision vertical positions from kinematic Global Positioning System (GPS, tripod and antenna middle of photo) help correct the gravity measurement for the effects of elevation changes.

A gravimeter makes a measurement at a benchmark situated among lava flows erupted in 1919. The strength of gravity varies with both elevation and the amount of mass beneath the instrument. Changes in mass can indicate changes in the amount of magma entering Kīlauea's magma reservoirs. USGS photo by A. Flinders.

An HVO geophysicist takes a gravity measurement at a benchmark near a continuous gravimeter (inside hutch). The continuous gravimeter takes gravity measurements once per second and relays the data via radio back to HVO. During the gravity survey on September 23, 2020, HVO scientists took measurements at multiple locations on the floor of Kīlauea caldera.

Color variations are common at Kīlauea's summit water lake, and are usually dominated by tan and brown hues. Today, the interaction between different color zones produced a large swirl in the center of the lake.

Map of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s current camera network coverage.   Lava-flow hazard zone 1 is outlined in yellow.   Color-shaded areas are visible to at least one camera in the current network.  We would like to expand the network so that it covers the grey-shaded areas in zone 1 as well.  If your property has a good view

On September 3, USGS HVO geologists visited fissure 7 of Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Geologists investigated and documented vent features, and collected samples for ongoing analyses of 2018 eruption dynamics. Fountains from fissure 7 left a hole over the vent area.

Photo of Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption fissure 7, from Hookupu street and looking west. The rampart is surrounded by fissure 8 lava. This view is of the back side of the rampart; lava fountains erupted on the opposite side of the rampart. 

View of the front side of fissure 7 rampart, erupted during Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Red oxidation is present in lower layers within the rampart. Golden shelly pāhoehoe from fissure 8 surrounds the rampart. 

On September 3, USGS HVO geologists also visited fissure 21 of Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Geologists investigated and documented vent features, and collected samples for ongoing analyses of 2018 eruption dynamics. View of fissure 21 from the northeast. A small hole has formed from collapse of the rampart.

This photo views fissure 21, of Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, from the southeast. 

Front side of fissure 21 of Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Red oxidation and white mineral precipitates color the front of the rampart. Fountains erupted immediately in front of this feature. 

View of the 2018 Kīlauea caldera collapse structures from Kīlauea Overlook within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken on Sept. 2, 2020.

The colorful caldera lake at Kīlauea summit. The view is from the western rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater, 1900 ft (580 m) above the water surface, in a restricted area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by M. Patrick 08/25/2020.

Kīlauea

Summit crater lake growth

July 25, 2019 to July 25, 2020

Comparison of images showing growth of Kīlauea's summit water lake over the past year. The left image, taken on August 2, 2019, shows a small green pond that was approximately 6 ft (2 m) deep. The right image, taken on July 21, 2020, shows a lake more than 130 ft (40 m) deep with shades of tan to brown and a sharp color boundary often cutting across the lake.

ANIMATED GIF: Saturday, July 25, marks the one year anniversary since water was first spotted at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. Over the past year, the summit water lake has grown to more than 270 m (885 ft) long and 131 m (430 ft) wide, with a surface area over 2.5 hectares (6 acres).

The Raspberry Shake 4D (RS4D) is a personal seismograph with a vertical-component velocity transducer, and three-component (vertical, north-south, and east-west) accelerometer. A Raspberry Pi, which is a computer about the size of a credit card, powers the RS4D unit, which is about the size of a can of Spam.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) electronics technician Steven Fuke stands near a solar panel system that powers a volcano-monitoring station. 

The May 29 overflight provided updated aerial photographs of Kīlauea summit, covering the caldera floor and showing the current size of the water lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater.

The May 29 overflight provided updated thermal images of Kīlauea summit, covering the caldera floor and showing the warm surface of the water lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater. No significant changes were observed in the surface temperature of Kīlauea's summit crater lake.

A GPS station that monitors ground deformation on Kīlauea Volcano, one of the approximately 240 volcano-monitoring stations that Steven Fuke, as part of the HVO Technician Group, designs, installs, and maintains.