It's breathtaking: NASA releases spectacular footage of volcanic eruption in Hawaii

NASA has released spectacular footage of a volcano in Hawaii spewing lava hundreds of meters into the air. After three months of dormancy, Kilauea erupted abruptly in the last days of 2024, demonstrating its power near the southwestern wall of the Halemaumau crater.

The agency's images show the power of one of the world's most active volcanoes. Its eruptions affect local communities and ecosystems, Newsweek writes.

The photo, released by NASA's Earth Observatory from Landsat 8, shows glowing hot lava in the Kilauea caldera. The satellite image, displayed in false colors on purpose, emphasizes the infrared flow of fresh lava, which appears bright in shades of red and yellow.

The satellite imagery also shows volcanic gases drifting southwest of the caldera which is highlighted in blue.

And the U.S. Geological Survey has taken a photo from the ground showing a lava eruption in Kaluapele.

According to the researchers, by the morning of December 23, lava fountains had soared up to hundreds of meters, rapidly spreading over 2630456 m² with an average depth of 3 meters.

Since then, the eruptions have cycled through several episodes of activity and pauses, and the US Geological Survey reported active eruptions as of January 3, 2025.

Scientists emphasize that this eruption began after an increase in pressure was observed in the magma chambers beneath Kilauea in late 2024. The lava fountains initially erupted with extreme intensity, followed by a phenomenon called "backflow," when lava flows back into the vent, increasing the pressure again.

This alternation of inflation and deflation in the magma chambers caused the eruption to pause and resume several times, experts say.

Scientists speculate that the dense, gas-poor lava forms a "plug" that creates new pressure in the magma chamber, leading to further episodes of activity.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcanic Observatory reported that the latest eruption at the top of Kilauea is the sixth within the caldera since 2020.

According to scientists, the release of volcanic gases, especially sulfur dioxide, poses significant health risks by producing a toxic haze known as cinder, which can travel far downwind.

Beyond the immediate impacts, understanding Kilauea's dynamic activity helps scientists improve predictions of future eruptions and assess global volcanic processes. Researchers are particularly focused on uncovering the mysterious interplay between gas content, magma pressure, and lava flow dynamics.

The volcano's activity is likely to continue with subsequent pauses and resumption, experts suggest.

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