A line of lava fountains across the floor of Moku‘āweoweo caldera is seen from the western Mauna Loa caldera rim on 9 April 1940, two days after the start an eruption at the summit and upper SW flank. The fissure erupted in the SW portion of the caldera and propagated a total distance of 6 km across the caldera and down the SW rift zone. During the course of the eruption lava flows covered two-thirds of the caldera floor.

Photo by G.O. Fagerlund (U.S. Geological Survey).

This image is made available as a Public Domain Work, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Galleries: Volcanic Gases | Lava Flows | Fissure Vents

Keywords: gas | plume | fissure | lava | lava flow | lava | eruption | lava fountain | emissions | pahoehoe

Mauna Loa