Kīlauea Caldera

Kīlauea Caldera, officially Kīlauea Crater and also known as Kaluapele, is the summit caldera of Kīlauea in the Hawaiian Islands. A broad volcanic depression formed by the down-sinking of its floor, it has been repeatedly reshaped by lava flows since the 19th century, reflecting the volcano’s persistent activity. Its best-known internal feature is the active pit crater Halemaʻumaʻu near the southwestern edge. Encircled by Crater Rim Drive and linked to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the caldera became an important center of volcanic observation with the establishment of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on its rim in 1912. Eruptions from the caldera itself have occurred repeatedly since the late 18th century.

Mauna Loa Estates, Hawaii · United States