New vent near earlier spatter cones on west flank of Pu`u `O`o, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i

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Photograph by L. Kesztheyli on June 4, 1997

View is southeast across the gap in the west flank of Pu`u `O`o toward a new spatter cone at the episode 55 vent. By the end of June 1997, the new cone became the largest (about 15 m high and 100 m in diameter) on the flank of Pu`u `O`o. In its first two weeks of activity, the cone produced two lava flows. one that spread down the northwest flank of Pu`u `O`o into the nearby forest and another that moved 3.5 km southeastward.

This new episode 55 cone eventually completely covered the original episode 55 cone (right of the active vent). A cone that became active on May 12 is visible just left of the active vent.