Kilauea Eruption Chronology

Postcard of Halemaumau lava lake circa 1909.

Select a time period:

1790 - 1924 Caldera-forming Eruption, Long-lived Summit Lava Lake, and Explosive Eruption
1924 - 1934 Summit
1952 - 1968 Summit and East Rift Zone
1969 - 1974 Mauna Ulu
1971 - 1975 Summit and Rift Zones
1975 - 1982 Summit and East Rift Zone
1983 - 1996 East Rift Zone

A map is useful to show the age and distribution of lava flows and tephra deposits at the summit of Kilauea.

Kilauea has changed dramatically over the last 10,000 years. Watch this slide show to see the changes.

The long-term behavior of Kilauea may follow cycles. Watch this slide show to see a model for changes in the volcano over time.

For a comprehensive list of historic eruptions at Kilauea see Volcanoes in the Sea by Macdonald, Abbott, and Peterson (1983).

A list of sources of information about the history of eruptions of Kilauea is available.