HVO Scientists Continue to Monitor Kīlauea Volcano

Kīlauea has been relatively quiet since September 2018. However, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists continue to monitor the volcano for any signs of change and to learn as much as they can from the dramatic events of this past summer. Here, HVO scientists scout possible locations for a webcam to provide additional views into the enlarged crater within Kīlauea’s summit caldera.

Click to enlarge. USGS photo by M. Zoeller

To better understand the dynamics of Kīlauea’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone lava flow, an HVO geologist recently collected samples from the Fissure 8 channel for laboratory analyses. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.

Click to enlarge. PC: USGS photo by M. Zoeller.

An HVO scientist levels a tripod over a benchmark during a routine campaign GPS survey on Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone.

USGS photo by L. DeSmither

Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to track deformation (ground surface changes) on Hawaiian volcanoes. Here, an HVO geophysicist completes the final setup on a GPS instrument on Kīlauea so that it can begin collecting data on the volcano’s lower East Rift Zone.

USGS photo by L. DeSmither