(Volcano Watch is a weekly article written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)

The lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu, a crater at the summit of Kīlauea, was about 30 m (98 ft) below the vent rim on the day of this photo (Jan. 7, 2016). Orange lines on the lake surface were the result of lava lake circulation; as lava moved from left to right, sections of the dark-colored, semi-solid lake surface pulled apart, revealing incandescent molten lava beneath the crust. Vigorous spattering (bright yellow area at right) often occurs where circulating lava sinks back into the lake. USGS photo by T. Orr.

In March 2008, a new volcanic vent opened within Halema‘uma‘u, a crater at the summit of Kīlauea in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Island of Hawaiʻi. The eruption continues today, with continuous degassing, occasional explosive events, and an active, circulating lava lake.

Due to volcanic hazards associated with Kīlauea’s summit vent, the area around Halemaʻumaʻu was closed to the public by the National Park Service in early 2008 and remains closed today. The hazards include high levels of sulfur dioxide gas and explosive ejection of molten lava and solid rock fragments onto the crater rim, which could cause serious injury (or worse) to anyone venturing into the closed area.

The summit eruption can, however, be safely viewed from vantage points on the rim of Kīlauea Crater, such as the National Park’s Jaggar Museum overlook. From these points, the gas plume emitted from the summit vent is nearly always visible (unless obscured by fog or rain), and, on most nights, a beautiful orange glow from the incandescent lava lake can be seen. Depending on the level of the lava lake, spattering from gas bubbles bursting through the lake surface is sometimes visible from the Jaggar overlook.

The U.S. Geological Survey has produced a documentary, “Kīlauea Summit Eruption–Lava Returns to Halemaʻumaʻu,” to tell the story of the eruption, and to share imagery of the inaccessible lava lake with the public. This new 24-minute video includes historical photos of past Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions and stunning high-resolution footage of Kīlauea’s summit lava lake—now one of the two largest lava lakes in the world.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), which is responsible for monitoring KÄ«lauea eruptions and assessing volcanic hazards, was the driving force behind the documentary. HVO staff appear in on-camera interviews about the science of the summit eruption and were actively involved in behind-the-scenes production of the video.

People outside of USGS-HVO also helped bring the project to fruition. For example, an interview with a Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park ranger offers insights on the cultural aspects of the eruption. Additionally, the video features the voices of two well-known Island of Hawaiʻi educators, as well as images taken by Hawaiʻi photographers. HVO appreciates the time and talent these and other friends and colleagues contributed to the documentary.

The video begins with a chant about Halemaʻumaʻu by Dr. Pualani Kanaka‘ole Kanahele, a retired kumu hula who taught Hawaiian studies at Hawaiʻi and Maui Community Colleges and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and remains an icon of Hawaiian culture today. The chant expresses traditional observations of an active lava lake and reflects the connections between science and culture that continue on Kīlauea today.

The documentary then recounts the eruptive history of Halemaʻumaʻu and describes the formation and continued growth of Kīlauea’s current summit vent and lava lake. Narration is provided by Jackie Pualani Johnson, a recently retired Drama Professor and Chair of the Performing Arts Department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

As the story unfolds, six USGS-HVO scientists share their insights on the summit eruption. Topics include how they monitor Kīlauea’s summit lava lake, how and why the lake level rises and falls, why explosive events occur, the connection between the volcano’s ongoing summit and East Rift Zone eruptions, and the impacts of the summit eruption on the Island of Hawaiʻi and beyond.

The summit lava lake is one of two ongoing eruptions on Kīlauea. The other is on the volcano’s East Rift Zone, where vents have been erupting nearly nonstop since 1983. The duration of these simultaneous summit and rift zone eruptions on Kīlauea is unmatched in at least the past 200 years.

Kīlauea Volcano’s summit eruption will reach its 10th anniversary in March 2018. Even now, it is the longest-lasting summit lava lake since 1924, and there are no signs that it’s slowing down. But, as noted in the video, how long it will last, remains to be seen.

The new video documentary can be viewed on the USGS YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/gNoJv5Vkumk). It is also published as USGS General Interest Product 182 (https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/gip182).

Funding for the video was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Volcano Science Center, Volcano Hazards Program, and Office of Communications and Publishing.