Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Photo and Video Chronology – Mauna Loa and Kīlauea – December 10, 2022

By Hawaiian Volcano Observatory December 10, 2022

A monitoring overflight of Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone and Kīlauea's summit eruption. Both eruptions continue with greatly reduced output.

Mauna Loa Northeast Rift Zone Fissure 3

Color photograph of lava channel
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Just days, ago, lava was full in the channels from the fissure 3 eruption on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. Over the past two days, the eruption output has greatly reduced. A pond of lava in the fissure 3 cone feeds short lava flows that extended only 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from the vent. The channels below this point appear drained of lava and no longer feed the main flow front.  USGS image by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of volcanic vent
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Aerial image of fissure 3 erupting on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. As of 7:00 a.m. today, December 10, a lava pond replaced the fountains at the fissure 3 vent. USGS image by J. Bard. 
Color map of eruption
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa that began the evening of November 27, 2022, continues at reduced levels as of December 10, 2022 (thirteenth full day). One active fissure, fissure 3, is feeding a pāhoehoe lava flow that remains confined to the existing lava channel from earlier in the eruption. For this reason, the total area covered by lava is unchanged since yesterday.
cone shape of gray rock with red lava inside
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Aerial view of the fissure 3 cone on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. On December 10, 2022, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists noted there are no fountains present in fissure 3. Only a lava pond is present with minor circulating activity. Photograph by K. Mulliken.
cone shape of gray rock with red lava inside
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Aerial view of the fissure 3 cone on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. On December 10, 2022, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists noted there are no fountains present in fissure 3. Only a lava pond is present with minor circulating activity. Photograph by K. Mulliken.
cone shape of gray rock with red lava inside
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Aerial view of the fissure 3 cone on the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. On December 10, 2022, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists noted there are no fountains present in fissure 3. Only a lava pond is present with minor circulating activity. Photograph by K. Mulliken.
Color photograph of volcanic vent
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Aerial image of fissure 3 erupting on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone the morning of December 10, 2022. The eruption output has greatly decreased over the past two days and within the fissure 3 cone, geologists noted a small lava pond rather than a lava fountain. USGS image by K. Mulliken. 
Color photograph of volcanic vent
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
View of fissure 3 the morning of December 10, 2022. As of 7:00 a.m. on December 10, a lava pond replaced the fountains at the fissure 3 vent. The pond fed short lava flows that extended only 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from the vent but are already stagnating. USGS image by K. Mulliken. 
Color photograph of lava channel
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Just days, ago, lava was full in the channels from the fissure 3 eruption on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. Over the past two days, the eruption output has greatly reduced. A pond of lava in the fissure 3 cone feeds short lava flows that extended only 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from the vent. The channels below this point appear drained of lava and no longer feed the main flow front.  USGS image by K. Mulliken.

Kīlauea and Halemaʻumaʻu Lava Lake

Color photograph of crater floor
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Geologists conducted a monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit on the morning of December 10, 2022. They noted that the lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu crater was mostly solidified, though incandescence was visible. USGS image by J. Bard. 

Get Our News

These items are in the RSS feed format (Really Simple Syndication) based on categories such as topics, locations, and more. You can install and RSS reader browser extension, software, or use a third-party service to receive immediate news updates depending on the feed that you have added. If you click the feed links below, they may look strange because they are simply XML code. An RSS reader can easily read this code and push out a notification to you when something new is posted to our site.

Hawaii News

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory News

Kīlauea News

Mauna Loa News

Natural Hazards News

Volcano Hazards Program News

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory News