^Kilauea’s Fissure 8 cone erupting in the early morning of June 28, 2018, in the Lower East Rift Zone. Credit: USGS

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recently shared a timelapse video that shows the floor of the Halema’uma’u crater floor rising.

From the USGS:

“This timelapse sequence shows one image per day over the past two months from the B1cam webcam on the east rim of Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The images show that the floor of Halema‘uma‘u has been growing endogenously.

Lava is supplied beneath the solidified crust that forms the surface of the crater floor, lifting the surface in a manner similar to inflating an air mattress. In addition to endogenous growth, sporadic lava flows overplate the crust and also contribute to growth.”

The Halema‘uma‘u crater rests on the summit of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kīlauea is an active shield volcano with an elevation of 4,091′.

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