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NASA » Lava Flows on Kilauea
Volcanic Activity and Lava Flows on Kilauea
A November, 2009 satellite image released by NASA's Earth Observatory.
Lava Flows in Kilauea's East Rift Zone
Volcanoes in the eastern rift zone of Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano have been erupting since January, 1983 - the longest eruption in recorded history. This image shows a landscape scarred by craters and lava flows. The east-west trending line of craters traces the center of the rift zone (see map below).
Pu'u O'o, Napau, Makaopuhi, Mauna Ulu and Pauahi craters are all visible in this scene.
Most of the lava flows in the image originated at one of the craters and advanced downslope to the Pacific Ocean. Some of the lava reached the ocean by moving through subsurface lava tubes. (Photos of lava flows and ocean entries.)
| Simplified map showing calderas of the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano. Map by J. Johnson, 2000. Enlarge. |
In the center of the satellite image you can see steam and gases streaming to the southwest from two volcanic centers at Pu'u 'O'o. The youngest lava flows are a dark black color. Older lava flows have weathered to various shades of gray or brown. Patches of bright green vegetation and brown soil have been left like islands within the streaming lava. In this area about three cubic kilometers and lava has covered over 100 square kilometers of the island, destroying nearly 200 homes and other buildings.
A number of white clouds obscure the ground in the eastern half of the image. The sun is low in the sky to the southeast of the island, producing dark shadows beneath each of the clouds.
The satellite image and most of the information above was prepared by Robert Simmon, NASA Earth Observatory.
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