Kilauea Erupts Again as US Geology Reveals Advances in Hydrogen, Landsat, and Paleontology

The United States Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Kilauea volcano in Hawaii remains highly active, with episode 41 of the ongoing Halemaumau eruption occurring on January 24, 2026. This episode began around 11:10 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time, triggered by a sharp increase in volcanic tremor and deflationary tilt recorded at the Ue Kahuna tiltmeter. North and south vents produced lava fountains peaking at 460 to 480 meters, or 1500 to 1575 feet, just after 12:30 p.m., with the highest instantaneous effusion rate reaching 1050 cubic yards per second. The eruption lasted eight hours and 18 minutes, ending at 7:29 p.m., and released an estimated 14 million cubic yards of lava, covering 80 to 85 percent of the Halemaumau crater floor. The Ue Kahuna tiltmeter measured 31 microradians of deflation during the event.

Following the episode, rapid rebound of inflationary tilt, glow from the vents, and low-level tremor suggest another lava fountaining episode is likely soon. Seismicity and ground deformation in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone stay very low, while sulfur dioxide emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below detection limits. Hazards persist around Kilauea caldera, including unstable crater walls, ground cracking, rockfalls, and earthquake-enhanced instability, keeping the caldera rim closed to the public since late 2007.

Elsewhere in the United States, the United States Geological Survey released its first continental-scale map of geologic hydrogen potential across the contiguous states, aiding early exploration efforts. States like Iowa and Minnesota are clarifying regulatory definitions for naturally occurring hydrogen, while companies such as Koloma advance geological assessments and test well planning. The Latest in Landsat newsletter from the United States Geological Survey highlights 2025 milestones, including a growing data archive exceeding 200,000 terabytes and a new Landsat Science Team to support future missions.

A Geological Society of America news release on January 21, 2026, details research in the journal Geology showing extremely rapid evolution of new species after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, based on fossil evidence from North American sites. These developments underscore emerging patterns in United States geology, from persistent volcanic unrest in Hawaii to advancing energy resource mapping and paleontological insights into recovery from ancient catastrophes. Worldwide, volcanic activity continues at sites like Santiaguito in Guatemala and Merapi in Indonesia, but United States events dominate recent monitoring.

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