Images

A comparison of two thermal images from the F1cam thermal webcam located on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea volcano. These two images were taken 48 hours apart. The left image from December 20 at 8:22 a.m.

Aerial visual imagery collected during an overflight of Kīlauea Volcano's summit just after 11:30 a.m. HST on December 22, 2020, was used to create a preliminary topographic model. When compared to pre-eruption topographic models, it shows that the bottom of Halema'uma'u crater has been filled by almost 150 m (yd) of lava.

A helicopter overflight today (Dec. 22, 2020) at approximately ~11:30 AM HST allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of the new eruption within Halema'uma'u crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. This preliminary thermal map shows that the new lava lake is 690 m (yd) E-W axis and 410 m (yd) in N-S axis.

The current eruption is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park but data from tiltmeters and Global Positioning System (GPS) stations show contraction in the upper portion of the East Rift Zone (an area between Kīlauea’s summit and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō).

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists monitor the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake using state-of-the-art instruments acquired through the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019. Supplemental funds are supporting HVO’s recovery and rebuilding in the wake of Kīlauea’s 2018

Kīlauea summit KW webam image taken on December 21, 2020, just after 6:30 a.m. HST. The water lake, present until the evening of December 20, 2020, has been replaced by a lava lake; fissures in the wall of Halemaʻumaʻu feed a lava lake that continues to fill the crater.

On the morning of Dec. 21, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientists use a FTIR spectrometer on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The FTIR measures the composition of the gases being emitted during Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing summit eruption by measuring how the plume absorbs infrared energy.

A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geophysicist deploys campaign GPS sites on the Kīlauea caldera floor in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park to measure changes in ground motion. The gas plume from the summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater is visible in the background. USGS photo taken by A. Ellis on December 21.

On the morning of Dec. 21, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientists use a FTIR spectrometer on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The FTIR measures the composition of the gases being emitted during Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing summit eruption by measuring how the plume absorbs infrared energy.

Aerial visual imagery collected during an overflight of Kīlauea Volcano's summit just after 11 a.m. HST on December 21, 2020, was used to create a preliminary topographic model. When compared to pre-eruption topographic models, it shows that the bottom of Halema'uma'u crater has been filled by over 100 m (yd) of lava. Map by B. Carr.

Aerial view of the Kīlauea summit eruption from a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight at approximately 11:20 a.m. HST. The two active fissure locations continue to feed lava into the growing lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, with the northern fissure (pictured right) remaining dominant.

A close-up photo of a tephra sample taken from one of the sample collection buckets. These small fragments of volcanic glass include Pele’s Hair and Pele’s tears—formed during lava fountaining—which are light weight and can be wafted downwind with the plume. 

HVO geologist retrieves and labels tephra samples from collection buckets placed downwind of Halema‘uma‘u crater after the onset of the Kīlauea summit eruption. These samples are collected for petrological analysis to gain further insight into the eruption dynamics.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews captured this photo of the thick gas plume, produced by the Kīlauea summit eruption, obscuring the intensity of the sun.

Photo shows volcanic gases from the current eruption at Kīlauea’s summit being transported southwest into the closed area (left side of photo). This photo also shows the cracks, cliffs, and uneven ground surfaces present in the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken on 12/21/2020. 

A helicopter overflight today (Dec 21, 2020) at approximately ~11:30 AM HST allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected of the new eruption within Halema'uma'ucrater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. This preliminary thermal map shows that the new lava lake is 580 m (yd) E-W axis and 320 m (yd) in N-S axis.

Kīlauea summit KW webcam image taken on December 20, 2020, just before 6 p.m. HST. Three and a half hours later, at 9:30 p.m., an eruption began in the walls of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, vaporizing the lake.

Shortly after approximately 9:30 p.m. HST, an eruption commenced at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. Red spots are the approximate locations of fissure vents feeding lava flowing into the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The water lake at the base of Halema‘uma‘u crater has been replaced with a growing lava lake.

December 20, 2020, Kīlauea volcanic plume shown from the Gemini Observatory on Mauna Kea (left) and a 3D radar visualization from the same perspective. The radar reflectivity isosurfaces reveal the plume’s internal and external structure.

Example of 2D and 3D radar visualization of the December 20, 2020, Kīlauea volcanic plume. Displayed in photo (top, USGS photo), 2D radar scan from station PHWA (middle, NOAA Weather and Climate Toolkit), and 3D radar visualization (bottom, Google Earth).

KWcam webcam image from December 2 at 6:00 p.m. HST, immediately following a M3.1 earthquake at Kīlauea summit. Several rockfalls down the talus slope impacted the summit water lake, causing some brief localized color changes of the lake surface (circled in yellow).