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This movie shows the impressive spattering at the western margin of the lava lake at Halemaʻumaʻu. The continuous spattering is often punctuated by bursts which throw lava onto the ledge (left portion of image), and this accumulating lava is building a spatter rampart. If you focus on the right portion of the image, you can see the slow migration of the lava lake surface crust towards the spatter source, where lava sinks back into the magmatic system. Video courtesy of USGS/HVO

(Activity updates are written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)

The spatter from the lava lake was landing, in part, on the ledge adjacent to the lake, and then flowing away in a small channel toward the southern side of the vent where it was ponding and cooling. Notice the wrinkled crust on the surface of the lake. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

A lava lake present within the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent during the past week resulted in night-time glow that was visible from the Jaggar Museum overlook. The lake, which is normally about 80–115 m (260–380 ft) below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater and visible by HVO`s Webcam, rose and fell slightly during the week in response to a series of deflation-inflation cycles. This past week, the lava lake reached a very high level, about 60 m (200 ft) below the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater.

On Kilauea`s east rift zone, surface lava flows were active on the pali and coastal plain over the past week. The flows on the coastal plain have made only minor progress toward the ocean over the past week. As of Thursday, May 17, the coastal plain lava flows were still approximately 1 km (0.6 miles) from the water. There is no active ocean entry.

One earthquake was reported felt beneath Hawai`i Island this past week. A magnitude-2.2 earthquake occurred on Sunday, May 13, at 5:24 p.m., HST, and was located 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Waiki`i at a depth of 9 km (6 mi).

Visit the HVO Web site (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for detailed Kilauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kilauea summary; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov

The lava lake at Kilauea's summit was about 65 m (215 ft) below the floor of Halemaumau crater Wednesday (May 16), with impressive spattering along its western edge. Photo courtesy of USGS/HVO

The level of the lava lake at Halemaumau has been relatively high over the past two days, following summit inflation, with lava close to the level of the deep inner ledge. Continuous spattering at the southern lake margin tosses spatter onto the crusted lake surface as well as onto the rim of the ledge, building a steep spatter rampart (left side of image). This photo was taken on Monday (May 14) USGS/HVO Photo by David Dow

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Halemaumau Overlook Vent Lava Lake time-lapse movie.

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Kilauea lava flows on the coastal plain time-lapse movie.

Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kilauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active. Episodes 1–48b (1983–€“1986) are shown in dark gray; episodes 48c–49 (1986–1992) are pale yellow; episodes 50–€“53 and 55 (1992–€“2007) are tan; episode 54 (1997) is yellow; episode 58 (2007–2011) is pale orange; the episode 59 Kamoamoa eruption (March 2011) is at left in light reddish orange; and the episode 60 Pu‘u ‘O‘o overflows and flank breakout (March–August 2011) is orange. The currently active Peace Day flow (episode 61) is shown as the two shades of red–€”light red is the extent of the flow from September 21, 2011, to April 26, 2012, and bright red marks flow expansion from April 26 to May 11. The active lava tube is delineated by the yellow line within the active flow field. The contour interval on Pu‘u ‘O‘o is 5 m.