HONOLULU (AP) – As the high-definition camera pans across the surface of an active Hawaii volcano’s viscous summit lava lake, a large bubble of volcanic gas grows and bursts, dramatically spewing molten rock into the air and sending a massive ripple of lava outward across the crater.
Federal officials released high-definition video of the lava lake atop Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano on Tuesday, providing a rare close-up glimpse of the powerful summit eruption, shot in stunning 4K ultra high definition video.
The U.S. Geological Survey footage shows lava breaking through the crusted mantle of the lava lake on the Big Island and splashing up the crater walls. Aerial footage shows lava glowing through the cracks of the slightly hardened crust atop the flowing and bubbling lava
USGS video producer Stephen Wessells is seen on the edge of the volcano’s massive summit wearing a respirator and hardhat as he captures the images.
The summit eruption has been happening since March 2008.