USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
on January 23, 2023

Activity Summary: The summit eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, continued over the past 24 hours. All recent eruptive activity has been confined to the crater. No significant changes have been observed at the summit or in either rift zone.

Halemaʻumaʻu Lava Lake Observations: Eruption of lava in the eastern portion of Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor continued over the past 24 hours. Activity is concentrated in a large lava lake in the eastern half of the crater, as well as a smaller lake to the west, in the basin of the 2021–2022 lava lake. The eastern lava lake has one dominant fountain and an area of approximately 25 acres as of January 17. The lake is currently well-defined by its levee boundaries, though several overflows occurred yesterday afternoon and evening. A live-stream video of the lava lake is available at: https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live.

Summit Observations: Summit tiltmeters recorded brief deflationary tilt following the end of a summit Deflation-Inflation (DI) event. This morning, instruments show no significant tilting. Volcanic tremor remains above background levels. A sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 3,000 tonnes per day (t/d) was measured on January 20, 2023.

Rift Zone Observations: No unusual activity has been noted along the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone; steady rates of ground deformation and seismicity continue along both. Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone have been below detection limits for SO2, indicating that SO2 emissions from Puʻuʻōʻō are negligible.