Lava Flows from Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, has been in continuous eruption since 1983. Recently, lava flows from a vent close to the Pu'u O'o cone began cutting through dense vegetation and moving closer to inhabited areas. On September 8, 2014, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA's Earth Observing 1 spacecraft obtained this infrared image. Although there are clouds and smoke from burning vegetation, a line of red points delineate the path taken by the new lava flows. As always, the threat posed by these lava flows is being assessed and monitored by scientists at the United States Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/EO-1 Mission/GSFC/Ashley Davies

Holuhraun, Iceland Volcanic Lava Flows (6 September 2014)

On the night of September 6, 2014, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA's Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) spacecraft observed the ongoing eruption at Holuhraun, Iceland, from an altitude of 438 miles (705 kilometers). Data were collected at a resolution of 98 feet (30 meters) per pixel at different visible and infrared wavelengths.

Although partially covered by clouds, this scene shows the extent of the lava flows that have been erupting from a long fissure over the last week. The front of the lava flows are to the right (east) and extend more than 6.3 miles (10 kilometers) from the vent. The intense radiant energy from the incandescent lava illuminates the clouds and plume from the vent to create this ethereal scene.

The ongoing eruption is being closely monitored by scientists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the University of Iceland.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/Ashley Davies

Holuhraun, Iceland Volcanic Eruption

On the night of September 1, 2014, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA's Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) spacecraft observed the ongoing eruption at Holuhraun, Iceland, from an altitude of 438 miles (705 kilometers). Data were collected at a resolution of 98 feet (30 meters) per pixel at different infrared wavelengths and were then combined to create this false-color image that emphasizes the hottest areas of the vent and resulting lava flows. The image captured the 0.6-mile (1-kilometer)-long fissure from which lava is erupting, a channeled lava flow, and a broad expanse of lava flows extending 2.2 miles( 3.5 kilometers) from the fissure.

The eruption is being closely monitored by scientists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office and University of Iceland. Because this event took place away from the icecaps of Vatnajökull and Dyngjujökull, this event did not generate a large ash plume like that of the Eyjafjallajöull eruption in Iceland in 2010.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/EO-1 Mission/GSFC/Ashley Davies

Note: For more information, see PIA18799: Iceland Volcanic Eruption Monitored by NASA EO-1 Spacecraft

Mount Etna

Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, continued its latest eruptive activity with a new lava flow from the recently formed southeast crater. In this February 7, 2014 image acquired from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft, vegetation is red, snow is white and bare lava flows are dark gray. The yellow pixels are areas that are highlighted in the thermal infrared channels, and indicate the hot crater (single spot) and the lava flow. To the east, the thin blue-gray cloud is ash and gas emitted from the crater. The image covers an area of 12.4 by 13.7 miles (20 by 22 kilometers), and is centered near 37.5 degrees north, 15 degrees east.

Image credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

Note: For more information, see Sicily.

Mount Etna Eruption

Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily is Europe's most active volcano. Its latest series of eruptions has continued for weeks, producing ash clouds that forced the closure of nearby Catania airport; lava flows that stretched from the summit to the south and southeast; and spectacular fire fountains. In this nighttime thermal image acquired December 12, 2013 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft, the lava flows are white (hot), emanating from the southeast crater. The image covers an area of 19.5 by 19.5 miles (31.5 by 31.5 kilometers), and is located at 37.7 degrees north latitude, 15 degrees east longitude.

Image credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

Fernandina Volcano

ESA's Envisat satellite shows ground deformation around a volcano on Fernandina island in the Galápagos islands, following the eruption in April 2009. The caldera is outlined in white, and the lava flow produced by the eruption is also in white, stretching to the coast.

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar – or InSAR – is a technique where two or more satellite radar images over the same scene are combined to detect slight changes between them. Tiny changes on the ground cause changes in the radar signal and lead to rainbow-colored patterns in the combined image.

Image credit: ESA/M. Bagnardi, University of Miami

Plosky Tolbachik Volcano Eruption

For the first time in 35 years, the Plosky Tolbachik volcano in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula erupted on November 27, 2012, sending clouds of ash to the height of more than 9,800 feet (3,000 meters). In this daytime image acquired February 14, 2013, by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft, the snowy winter landscape reveals the still-active lava flows.

A combination of the ASTER thermal infrared channels from the two images acquired during the day and also the previous night highlights the hot rocks in red colors. Steam and ash clouds rising to the north and northeast hide part of the flows, though the thermal infrared channels penetrate the thinner clouds. The image covers an area of 16.7 by 17.8 miles (27 by 28.6 kilometers) and is located at 55.7 degrees north latitude, 160.2 degrees east longitude.

Image credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team