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Volcano Calendar 2020
Volcano Calendar 2020: We're proud to present our 2020 volcano calendar: 13 different and attractive images of volcanoes, volcanic landscapes and phenomena taken during volcano tours over the past two years.
Our New Book
Volcano Discoveries: "One of the most eye-catching guides to the world’s volcanoes ever published.
Volcano Travel
VolcanoAdventures: Our professional team of volcanologists and photographers offers unique travel opportunities: volcano expeditions, photo tours, and relaxed walking & study tours.
Volcano Adventure Guide
The Volcano Adventure Guide: Excellent information and background for anyone wishing to visit active volcanoes safely and enjoyably. The book presents guidelines to visiting 42 different volcanoes around the world.
Guaranteed tours:
23 Feb - 1 Mar 2020: Volcanoes of the Danakil desert - Danakil desert (Ethiopia)
14-27 Mar 2020: Desert, salt and volcanoes - Danakil desert (Ethiopia)
4-8 May 2020: Krakatau Volcano Special - Krakatau volcano (Indonesia)
9-17 May 2020: From Stromboli to Etna - Eolian Islands + Etna volcano (Italy)
1-8 Jun 2020: Nyiragongo Lava Lake & Mountain Gorillas - DR Congo
11-29 Aug 2020: Kamchatka - Land of Colors - Kamchatka (Russia)
3-19 Sep 2020: Volcanoes of Java - Java (Indonesia)
20 Sep - 5 Oct 2020: Volcanoes and Cultures - Adventures in the South Sea - Vanuatu
: spaces available / : guaranteed / : few spaces left / : booked out
Random pictures
Current Activity
Kilauea eruption update:
Kilauea volcano (Hawai'i): HVO monthly update, December 2019
Sunday, Jan 12, 2020
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) note that the rates of seismicity over the month of December 2019 were variable but within long term vales. Sulfur dioxide emission rates were low at the summit and were below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower East Rift Zone. The pond at the bottom of Halema'uma'u crater, which began forming on July 25, 2019, continues to slowly expand and deepen. As of early January 2020, the dimensions of the pond are 84 meters by 190 meters (280 feet by 620 feet). Current depth is about 23 meters (75 feet). ... [more]
Kilauea volcano (Hawai'i): HVO monthly update
Kilauea caldera captured from HVO's KWcam (C) U.S. Geological Survey
Sunday, Dec 08, 2019
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) report that their monitoring data have shown no significant changes in volcanic activity during November. Over the past month, about a dozen DI (Deflation-Inflation) events occurred beneath the summit. Over 1800 earthquakes were detected in the vicinity of the volcano, which is an increase of around 10% from last month. Rates of seismicity are relatively consistent throughout the month, although at the summit, episodic increased rates appear to be coincident with the inflated phase of the DI events. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and are below detection limits at Puʻu ʻOʻo and the lower East Rift Zone. The pond at the bottom of Halema'uma'u, which began forming on July 25, 2019, continues to slowly expand and deepen, and the most recent measurements are 162 meters in the east-west direction and 73 meters in the north-south direction. ... [more]
Satellite photo of Kilauea volcano, showing the summit caldera and parts of its east rift zone with the active vent Pu'u 'O'o.
Satellite photo of Kilauea volcano, showing the summit caldera and parts of its east rift zone with the active vent Pu'u 'O'o.

Three-dimesional view of Kilauea volcano based on satellite imagery.
Three-dimesional view of Kilauea volcano based on satellite imagery.

Map of Kilauea volcano, Big Island Hawai'i
Map of Kilauea volcano, Big Island Hawai'i
 

Kilauea volcano

Shield volcano 1277 m (4,190 ft)
Hawai'i, 19.41°N / -155.29°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Kilauea webcams / live data | Reports
Kilauea volcano videos
Kilauea volcano books | Tours | Places to stay
Last update: 12 Jan 2020
Typical eruption style: Dominantly effusive since 1790, but ~60% explosive over past ~2500 years.
Kilauea volcano eruptions: Near-continuous eruptions. Since 1960: 1961 (4x), 1962, 1963 (2x), 1965 (2x), 1967-68, 1968 (2x), 1969, 1969-74, 1971 (2x), 1973 (2x), 1974 (3x), 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982 (2x), 1983-2018 (incl. 1986, 1992, 1997, 2007, 2011 (3x)), 2018 (lower east rift zone in Leilani subdivision) Haleamaumau crater in the center of the Kilauea caldera - the heart of Kilauea volcano
TimeMag. / DepthDistanceLocation
Tue, 21 Jan 2020
Tue, 21 Jan 08:55 UTCM 1.8 / 32.9 km27 km6km E of Pahala, Hawaii (USA)
Tue, 21 Jan 08:49 UTCM 1.9 / 33.1 km25 km6km ENE of Pahala, Hawaii (USA)
Tue, 21 Jan 08:35 UTCM 2.2 / 33.7 km25 km6km ENE of Pahala, Hawaii (USA)
Tue, 21 Jan 02:50 UTCM 1.8 / 29.8 km27 km5km E of Pahala, Hawaii (USA)
Mon, 20 Jan 2020
Mon, 20 Jan 23:50 UTCM 1.7 / 32.9 km27 km4km E of Pahala, Hawaii (USA)
View all recent quakes
Kilauea is the youngest and most active Hawaiian shield volcano, located on the southern part of the Island of Hawai'i, known as Big Island. Hawai'i is the southernmost and largest of the island chain, which owes its existence to the very active Hawaiian hot spot.
Kilauea volcano is near-constantly erupting from vents either on its summit (caldera) or on the rift zones. At present, Kilauea volcano is still having one of the most long-lived eruptions known on earth, which started in 1983 on the eastern rift zone and has mainly been concentrated at the Pu'u 'O'o vent.

Background:

Kilauea volcano, a youthful shield volcano, sitting on the south east flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano, is the youngest volcano (on land) of the Hawaiian hot spot and not only the most active volcano of Hawaii but at the same time also the world's active volcano. It has been in near-constant activity since there is oral or written history and it is having an uninterrupted eruption since 1983 (at present at the Pu'u 'O'o vent on the East rift zone).

Its eruptions are prominent in Hawaiian Polynesian legends and written documentation about its activity go back to only 1820s when it started to attract interested visitor from all over the world and bacame one of volcanology's hot spots.

Kilauea has a large summit caldera with a central crater, Halemaumau, which is according to Hawaiian legends the home of the fire goddess Pele. Until 1924, it contained a lava lake. Kilauea has frequent summit and flank lava flow eruptions that are occurring along two elongated rift zones to the south-west and to the east, which extend to the sea on both sides of the volcano. The 3 x 5 km caldera was formed in several stages about 1500 years ago. About 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is formed of lava flows less than about 1100 years old; 70% of the volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. The long-term eruption from the East rift zone that began in 1983 has produced lava flows covering more than 100 sq km, destroying nearly 200 houses and adding new coastline to the island.

Kilauea Photos:

Lava lake inside Kilauea volcano's West Gap crater. The whole crust covering the lake has just been overturned, exposing the red hot glowing interior. hawaii_e7837 (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Lava lake inside Kilauea volcano's West Gap crater. The whole crust covering the lake has just been overturned, exposing the red hot glowing interior. hawaii_e7837 (Photo...
The first lava flows from Kilauea volcano (Hawai'?) to arrive in the coastal plain since March 2011 (5 Dec 2011) (Photo: Philip Ong)
The first lava flows from Kilauea volcano (Hawai'?) to arrive in the coastal plain since March 2011 (5 Dec 2011) (Photo: Philip Ong)
Several effusive vents arranged in a row on top of a dyke, feeding lava flows into Puka Nui collapse pit at Pu'u 'O'o crater, Kilauea volcano. hawaii_e7579.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Several effusive vents arranged in a row on top of a dyke, feeding lava flows into Puka Nui collapse pit at Pu'u 'O'o crater, Kilauea volcano. hawaii_e7579.jpg (Photo: To...
Fluid pahoehoe lava from Kilauea volcano, Hawai'i (Photo: LaurentLupini)
Fluid pahoehoe lava from Kilauea volcano, Hawai'i (Photo: LaurentLupini)
Breaking wave over glowing lava. Kilauea volcano, Big Island, Hawai'i (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Breaking wave over glowing lava. Kilauea volcano, Big Island, Hawai'i (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
A pahoehoe lava flow from Kilauea volcano. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
A pahoehoe lava flow from Kilauea volcano. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)



Kilauea volcano tours
Hawaii - Birthplace of Islands (14 days walking and study tour to Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Hawai'i)
A Dream Come True - World Volcano Tour (4 weeks round-the-world trip to Hawai'i - Vanuatu - New Zealand - Indonesia)
Kilauea Volcano Special (volcano tour to watch the ongoing eruption of Kilauea volcano, Hawai'i)
Pele´s Fire and Myths (7 days walking tour exploring Kilauea´s historic eruption sites, Hawai'i)

Latest satellite images


See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8
 

More on VolcanoDiscovery:

Dukono
Dukono volcano photos: Dukono on Halmahera in Indonesia has been in permanent activity for years, often producing ash plumes that drift around the northern part of the island and have become normality.
Kamchatka
Kamchatka photos: A growing list of photo galleries taking during our expeditions in this fantastic part of the world, full of volcanoes, unspoiled nature and colors.
Books
Books about volcanoes: A selection of recommended books about volcanoes and volcanism.
Lava lakes
Photos of lava lakes
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