Tephra formed by lava fountains during the ongoing Kilauea summit eruption has created a new pu‘u (hill) southwest of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The new pu‘u is visible from the public viewing areas around Kilauea summit in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has been busy tracking the continued growth of this young geologic feature.

Tephra is a piece of rock ejected during an eruption, and it includes Pele’s hair. While tephra has been falling on a closed portion of Crater Rim Drive since the current eruption started, the development of a new pu‘u started in late March and early April. Initially, HVO geologists informally tracked the accumulation of tephra by photographing the progressive burial of a road sign. By the end of episode 21 on May 11, only an inch

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