Lava from Puu Oo crater is advancing slowly to the southeast and northeast from a fissure eruption that began Sept. 21 on the east flank of the crater.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has released new pictures of the eruption on Puu Oo crater.
An overflight of the flow on Friday showed lava advancing about 1.6 miles to the southeast from the fissure and .3 miles to the northeast from another flow, scientists said.
The observatory also released a thermal image of the lava flow showing active flows near the fissure spreading out. The image shows a pahoehoe flow (smooth, swirling lava) moving southeast and the small flow to the northeast. An aa (rough, broken lava) field is seen below the active flows.
The volcano is going through a series of what scientists call deflation/inflation events as the volcano apparently fills with magma, which is then released. The deflation/inflation often coincides with lava pulses and pauses in the eruption.
Within Puu Oo crater, scientists said lava has filled a pond on the east side of the crater and a glow could be seen on the west.