Images

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. This photo shows the eastern portoin of the nascent lava lake, where it meets the wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

Oblique telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021.

Oblique aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. This view shows multiple active spattering sources in southern central part of Halemaʻumaʻu, and associated plumes of volcanic gas.

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. The active vent in the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu is vigorously fountaining, and is one of many fountaining sources active in the lava lake right now.

A helicopter overflight on September 30, 2021, at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This thermal map shows the extent of the new lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u.

A helicopter overflight on September 30, 2021, at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This thermal map shows a closer view of the new lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u.

This thermal image was taken during the morning overflight on September 30, 2021, and looks west across Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Several fountains are emerging through the active lake surface, in addition to fountaining on the west margin of the lake.

Photo of the new lava lake within Halema'uma'u crater at Kīlauea summit taken early in the morning on September 30. This view from the northwest rim of Halema'uma'u shows two webcams facing the new eruption, with fissures producing lava that is accumulating within the crater.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Kīlauea volcano is erupting. At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, an eruption began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater are generating lava flows on the surface of the lava lake that was active until May 2021.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, an eruption began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The new eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea's summit is depositing tephra downwind of the erupting vents. Tephra is a term that describes products of an eruption that travel through the air before being deposited.

At approximately 4:43 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, another vent opened on the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. This telephoto image shows the vent area and lava fountain through volcanic gas. USGS image. 

An image of the new Kīlauea summit fissure eruption within Halema'uma'u crater taken at approximately 4:15 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021.

At approximately 4:43 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, another vent opened on the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, a little more than an hour after new fissure vents opened on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. By 5:09 p.m., when this photo was taken, the west wall vents had grown.

An eruption began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on September 29, 2021. Vigorous lava fountains formed in the middle part of the lava lake that was active in Halemaʻumaʻu crater from December 2020 until May 2021.

The eruption that began today within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, is generating a vigorous plume of volcanic gas.

This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption as of approximately 6:00 PM on September 29, 2021. Several new fissures (orange lines) within Halema‘uma‘u have erupted enough lava (red) to cover nearly all of the 12/2021–5/2021 lava lake by more than 36 ft (11 m).

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist takes video of the eruption that started within Halema'uma'u crater, Kīlauea summit, at about 3:20 p.m. on September 29, 2021. Scientists continue to monitor the eruption and hazards from within an area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public due to safety reasons.

Kīlauea volcano is erupting. With the summit eruption continuing through the night, HVO scientists monitor the eruption for changes in activity and volcanic hazards. High levels of volcanic gases are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind. USGS photo taken by D. Downs.

The ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema'uma'u crater continues to feed low lava fountains in the center of the lava lake (pictured) and along the western wall of Halema'uma'u. This telephoto image is looking east at the center of the rising lava lake.