Lava is molten rock ejected from the bowels of a volcano during an eruption and turns into hardened rock after cooling. During the eruption directly from the nozzle of the volcano, the temperature of the lava reaches 1200 degrees Celsius. Molten lava flowing down a slope can be 100,000 times faster than water before it cools and solidifies. In this collection you will find bright and beautiful pictures erupting lava from various parts of our planet

Lava flows occur during non-explosive expansive eruption. When hot rock cools, it hardens to form igneous rock. To a greater extent, it is the composition, rather than the temperature of the eruption, that determines the behavior of lava flows. Below you will find many amazing photos for which brave photographers endured extreme temperatures. Many of the images were taken in seismically active locations such as Iceland, Italy and Mount Etna and of course Hawaii. Here, for example, is the volcano with the longest name: Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland:

Lava Lake, Mount Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo:


One of the many volcanoes in national park titled Hawaiian Volcanoes:

Hawaii again:


Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy:

Iceland:

Volcano Pacaya, Guatemala:

Kiluea Volcano, Hawaii:

Inside a hot cave, Hawaii:

Another hot lava lake in Hawaii:

Eyjafjallajokull volcano lava fountain

Mount Etna:

A stream that burns everything in its path, Mount Etna:

Another photo from Iceland:

Etna, Sicily:

Etna, Sicily:

Erupting volcano in Hawaii:

Eyjafjallajokull:

Puu Kahaualea, Hawaii:

Big Island of Hawaii:

Lava flow flows directly into the ocean, Hawaii.

Ecology

Volcanoes on our planet are geological formations on the earth's crust.

From here, magma comes to the surface of the earth , which forms lava, as well as volcanic gases, rocks, and mixtures of gas, volcanic ash, and rocks. Such mixtures are called pyroclastic flows.

It is worth noting that the very word "volcano" came to us from ancient rome where Vulcan was the god of fire.

A lot of interesting things are known about volcanoes, and below you can find a few facts about them.

25. The strongest volcanic eruption (Indonesia)

Of all documented volcanic eruptions, the largest was recorded at the Tambora stratovolcano on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia, in 1815.

In terms of volcanic explosiveness, the force of the eruption reached 7 points (out of 8).

This eruption lowered average temperature on Earth by 2.5 °C during next year, which was called "a year without a summer."

It should be noted that the volume of emissions into the atmosphere amounted to approximately 150-180 cubic meters. km.

24. Long lasting effects of a volcanic eruption

Gas and other particles released into the atmosphere during the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo on the island of Luzon, Philippines, lowered global temperatures by about 0.5 degrees Celsius over the next year.

23. Lots of volcanic ash

During the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, 5 cubic kilometers of volcanic material were thrown into the air, which created an ash column 35 km high.

22. Volcano Big Bang

The largest explosion of the 20th century occurred in 1912 during the eruption of Novarupta, one of the Alaska chain of volcanoes - part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The strength of the eruption reached 6 points.

21. Sustained eruption of Kilauea

One of the most active volcanoes on Earth, Hawaiian Kilauea has been erupting continuously since January 1983.

20 Deadly Volcanic Eruption

The colossal magma chamber, which was located inside the Taupo volcano, continued to fill very for a long time and finally the volcano exploded.

After the eruption in April 1815, the strength of which reached 7 points, from 150 to 180 cubic meters were thrown into the air. km of volcanic material.

Volcanic ash filled the remote islands, which led to a huge number dead. Their number was approximately 71,000. About 12,000 people died directly from the eruption, while the rest died as a result of starvation and disease, which were the result of eruptive fallout.

19. Big mountains

18. Active volcanoes today

Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano in the world, rising to 4,1769 meters above sea level. Its relative height ( from the ocean floor) - 10,168 meters. Its volume is about 75,000 cubic kilometers.

17. The surface of the earth covered with volcanoes

More than 80 percent of the Earth's surface above and below sea level is of volcanic origin.

16 Ashes Everywhere (Volcano St. Helens)

During the eruption of the stratovolcano St. Helens in 1980, about 540 million tons of ash covered an area exceeding 57,000 square meters. km.

15. Disaster from the volcano - landslides

St. Helens eruptions led to the largest landslides on Earth. As a result of this eruption, the height of the volcano was reduced by 400 meters.

14. Underwater volcano eruptions

The deepest recorded volcanic eruption occurred in 2008 at a depth of 1,200 meters.

The reason was the West Mata volcano, located in the Lau Basin near the Fiji Islands.

13. Lava lakes of a volcano in Antarctica

The southernmost active volcano is Erebus, located in Antarctica. It is worth noting that the lava lake of this volcano is the rarest occurrence on our planet.

Only 3 volcanoes on Earth can boast of "non-healing" lava lakes - Erebus, Kilauea in the Hawaiian Islands and Nyiragongo in Africa. And yet, the fiery lake in the midst of eternal snow is a truly impressive phenomenon.

12. High temperature (what comes out when a volcano erupts)

The temperature inside a pyroclastic flow - a mixture of high-temperature volcanic gases, ash and rocks that forms during a volcanic eruption - can exceed 500 degrees Celsius. This is enough to burn and carbonize the wood.

11. First in history (Nabro Volcano)

On June 12, 2011, the active volcano Nabro, which is located in the southern part of the Red Sea, near the borders of Eritrea and Ethiopia, woke up for the first time. According to NASA, this was its first recorded eruption.

10 Volcanoes Of The Earth

There are about 1,500 volcanoes on Earth, not counting the long volcanic belt on the ocean floor.

9. Tears and hair of Pele (parts of the volcano)

Kilauea is the place where, according to myths, Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, lives.

Pele's tears

Several lava formations have been named after her, including "Pele's tears" (small drops of lava cooled in the air) and "Pele's hair" (splashes of lava cooled by the wind).

Pele's hair

8. Supervolcano

A modern person could not witness the eruption of a supervolcano (8 points), which is capable of changing the climate on Earth.

The last eruption occurred approximately 74,000 years ago in Indonesia. In total, there are about 20 supervolcanoes known to scientists on our planet. It is worth noting that on average, the eruption of such a volcano occurs 1 time in 100,000 years.

Lava is a hot molten mass rocks ejected to the Earth's surface during volcanic eruptions. Depending on the species, lava can be liquid or viscous, different colors and temperatures.

In fact, the volcano erupts magma from the upper mantle at a depth of approximately 700 km, but during the eruption it cools down, and its gases escape, which changes its properties. When lava solidifies, various effusive rocks are formed.

In Latin, "labes" means collapse or fall. Hence the word "lava" in Italian and its use in Russian speech.

Types of lava

Different volcanoes erupt lava with different characteristics.

  • Carbonate lava is the coldest and most liquid, flowing like water. It is black or dark brown when erupted, but becomes lighter when exposed to air until it turns almost white.
  • Silicon lava is very viscous and for this reason it sometimes freezes in the vent of the volcano and blows it up. Therefore, when the eruption is restored, there is a strong explosion. Hot silicon lava of dark or black-red color. It flows at a speed of several meters a day and after solidification turns black.
  • Basalt lava has the most high temperature and very mobile. It can flow at a speed of 2 m / s, due to which a small layer can spread over tens of kilometers. It has a yellow or yellow-red color.

You learned what lava is, but also read the article

In today's article, we will look at the types of lava by temperature and its viscosity.

As you probably know, lava is molten rock that erupts from an active volcano onto the surface of the earth.

Outer shell the globe- the earth's crust, under it lies a hot, liquid layer called the mantle. Red-hot magma through cracks in the earth's crust, makes its way up.

hot magma entry points earth's surface called "hot spots", which means hot spots

(pictured left). This usually occurs between tectonic plates and gives rise to whole volcanic chains.

What is the temperature of lava?

Lava has a temperature of 700 to 1200C. Depending on temperature and composition, lava is divided into three types of fluidity.

Liquid lava has the highest temperature, more than 950C, its main component is basalt. With such a high temperature and fluidity, lava can flow for several tens of kilometers before it stops and hardens. Volcanoes spewing this type of lava are often very gentle, since it does not linger at the vent, but spreads around.

Lava with a temperature of 750-950C is andesitic. It can be recognized by frozen rounded blocks, with a broken crust.

lava with lowest temperature 650-750C - acidic, very rich in silica. characteristic feature This lava has slow speed and high viscosity. Very often, during an eruption, this type of lava forms a crust over the crater (pictured right). Volcanoes with this temperature and lava type often have steep slopes.

Below we will give you some photos of red-hot lava.








Types of volcanoes and lava have fundamental differences that make it possible to distinguish several main types from them.

Volcano types

  • Hawaiian type of volcanoes. These volcanoes do not have a significant release of vapors and gases, their lava is liquid.
  • Stromboli type of volcanoes. These volcanoes also have liquid lava, but they emit a lot of vapors and gases, but do not emit ash; as the lava cools, it becomes undulating.
  • Vesuvius-type volcanoes are characterized by more viscous lava, vapors, gases, volcanic ash and other solid products of the eruption are abundantly released. As the lava cools, it becomes lumpy.
  • Peleian type of volcanoes. Very viscous lava causes strong explosions with the release of hot gases, ash and other products in the form of scorching clouds, destroying everything in its path, etc.

Hawaiian type of volcanoes

Hawaiian-type volcanoes calmly and abundantly pour out only liquid lava during the eruption. These are the volcanoes of the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian volcanoes, which lie at the bottom of the ocean, at a depth of approximately 4600 meters, were undoubtedly the result of powerful underwater eruptions. The strength of these eruptions can be judged by the fact that the absolute height of the extinct volcano Mauna Kea (i.e. " white mountain") reaches from the bottom of the ocean 8828 meters (relative height of the volcano 4228 meters). The most famous are Mauna Loa, otherwise " high mountain"(4168 meters), and Kilauea (1231 meters). Kilauea has a huge crater - 5.6 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide. At the bottom of it, at a depth of 300 meters, lies a seething lava lake. During eruptions, powerful lava fountains up to 280 meters high are formed on it, with a diameter of approximately 30 meters. Volcano Kilauea. Liquid lava droplets ejected to such a height are drawn in the air into thin threads, called by the indigenous population "Pele's hair" - the goddess of fire of the ancient inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands. Lava flows during the eruption of Kilauea sometimes reached a huge value - up to 60 kilometers long, 25 kilometers wide and 10 meters thick.

Stromboli type of volcanoes

Stromboli type of volcanoes emitting mainly gaseous products. For example, the Stromboli volcano (900 meters high), on one of the Aeolian Islands (north of the Strait of Messina, between the island of Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula).
Stromboli volcano on the island of the same name. At night, the reflection of its fiery vent in a column of vapors and gases, perfectly visible at a distance of up to 150 kilometers, serves as a natural beacon for sailors. Widely known among sailors around the world is another natural lighthouse, in Central America off the coast of El Salvador - the volcano Tsalko. Gently every 8 minutes, he throws out a column of smoke and ash, rising to 300 meters. In the dark tropical sky, it is spectacularly illuminated by the crimson reflection of lava.

Vesuvius-type volcanoes

The most complete picture of the eruption is given by volcanoes of the type. A volcanic eruption is usually preceded by a strong underground rumble that accompanies the impacts and tremors of earthquakes. From the cracks on the slopes of the volcano, suffocating gases begin to be released. The release of gaseous products - water vapor and various gases (carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric, hydrogen sulfide and many others) is intensified. They are released not only through the crater, but also from fumaroles (fumarole is a derivative of Italian word"fumo" - smoke). Puffs of steam, along with volcanic ash, rise several kilometers into the atmosphere. Masses of light gray or black volcanic ash, representing the smallest pieces of solidified lava, are carried thousands of kilometers. The ashes of Vesuvius, for example, reach Constantinople and North America. Black puffs of ash cover the sun, turning a bright day into dark night. strong electrical voltage from the friction of ash particles and vapors, it manifests itself in electrical discharges and thunderclaps. Vapors raised to a considerable height thicken into clouds, from which streams of mud pour instead of rain. Volcanic sand, stones of various sizes, as well as volcanic bombs are ejected from the mouth of the volcano - rounded pieces of lava frozen in the air. Finally, lava appears from the mouth of the volcano, which rushes along the mountainside in a fiery stream.

Volcano of the same type - Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Here is how the picture of the eruption of this type of volcano is conveyed - Klyuchevskoy Sopka October 6, 1737, (more details:), the first Russian explorer of Kamchatka, acad. S. P. Krasheninnikov (1713-1755). He participated in the Kamchatka expedition as a student of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1737-1741.
The whole mountain seemed like a hot stone. The flame, which was visible inside it through the crevices, sometimes rushed down like fiery rivers, with a terrible noise. Thunder was heard in the mountain, crackling and swelling, as if with strong furs, from which all nearby places trembled.
An unforgettable picture of the eruption of the same volcano on the night of the new year, 1945, is given by a modern observer:
A sharp orange-yellow cone of flame, one and a half kilometers high, seemed to pierce into clubs of gases rising in a huge mass from the volcano's crater to about 7000 meters. Hot volcanic bombs fell in a continuous stream from the top of the fiery cone. There were so many of them that they gave the impression of a fabulous fiery blizzard.
The figure shows samples of various volcanic bombs - these are lava clots that have taken a certain shape. They acquire a rounded or spindle-shaped shape by rotating during flight.
  1. Volcanic bomb of spherical shape - a sample from Vesuvius;
  2. Trass - porous trachyte tuff - specimen from Eichel, Germany;
  3. Fusiform Volcanic Bomb molds - sample from Vesuvius;
  4. Lapilli - small volcanic bombs;
  5. A crusted volcanic bomb, a specimen from southern France.

Peleian type of volcanoes

Peleian type of volcanoes paints an even more horrific picture. As a result terrible explosion a significant part of the cone is suddenly sprayed into the air, covering it with an impenetrable haze sunlight. Such was the eruption.

The Japanese volcano Bandai-San belongs to the same type. For more than a thousand years, it was considered extinct, and suddenly, unexpectedly, in 1888, a significant part of its cone 670 meters high takes off into the air.
Bandai-san volcano. The awakening of the volcano from its long dormancy was terrible:
the blast uprooted the trees and caused terrible destruction. The pulverized rocks remained in the atmosphere in a dense veil for 8 hours, covering the sun, and the bright day was replaced by a dark night ... No liquid lava was released.
This kind of eruptions of volcanoes of the Peleic type are explained the presence of very viscous lava, which prevents the release of vapors and gases accumulated under it.

Rudimentary forms of volcanoes

Meet, in addition to the listed types, rudimentary forms of volcanoes, when the eruption was limited to a breakthrough to the surface of the earth only vapors and gases. These rudimentary volcanoes, called "maars", are found in West Germany near the city of Eifel. Their craters are usually filled with water and in this respect the maars are like lakes surrounded by a low rampart of rock fragments ejected by a volcanic explosion. Fragments of rocks also fill the bottom of the maar, and already ancient lava begins deeper. The richest diamond deposits in South Africa, located in ancient volcanic channels, by their nature, apparently, are formations similar to maars.

lava type

Silica content is classified lavas acidic and basic. In the first, its amount reaches 76%, and in the second, it does not exceed 52%. acidic lavas are distinguished by their light color and low specific gravity. They are rich in vapors and gases, viscous and inactive. When cooled, they form the so-called blocky lava.
Basic lavas, on the contrary, are dark in color, fusible, poor in gases, have high mobility and a significant specific gravity. When cooled, they are called "wavy lavas".

Vesuvius volcano lava

By chemical composition lava is different not only in volcanoes various types, but also near the same volcano, depending on the periods of eruption. For example, Vesuvius V modern time it pours out light (acidic) trachytic lavas, while the more ancient part of the volcano, the so-called Somme, is composed of heavy basaltic lavas.

lava movement speed

Medium lava movement speed- five kilometers per hour, but in some cases, liquid lava moved at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. The poured out lava soon cools down, forming a dense slag-like crust on it. Due to the poor thermal conductivity of lava, it is quite possible to walk on it, like on the ice of a frozen river, even during the movement of the lava flow. However, inside the lava retains a high temperature for a long time: metal rods lowered into the cracks of the cooling lava flow quickly melt. Under the outer crust, the slow movement of lava continues for a long time - it was noted in the flow 65 years ago, while traces of heat were established in one case even 87 years after the eruption.

Lava flow temperature

The lava of Vesuvius, seven years after the 1858 eruption, kept more temperature at 72°. The initial temperature of the lava was determined for Vesuvius at 800-1000 °, and the lava of the Kilauea crater (Hawaiian Islands) - 1200 °. In this regard, it is interesting to learn how two researchers from the Kamchatka volcanological station measured the temperature of the lava flow.
In order to carry out the necessary research, they jumped dangerously onto the moving crust of the lava flow. On their feet they wore asbestos boots, which did not conduct heat well. Although it was cold November and blew strong wind However, even in asbestos boots, the legs still got so hot that they had to alternately stand on one or the other leg in order for the sole to cool down at least a little. The temperature of the lava crust reached 300°. The brave explorers continued to work. Finally, they managed to break through the crust and measure the temperature of the lava: at a depth of 40 centimeters from the surface, it was 870 °. After measuring the temperature of the lava and taking a gas sample, they safely jumped onto the frozen side of the lava flow.
Due to the poor thermal conductivity of the lava crust, the air temperature above the lava flow changes so little that trees continue to grow and bloom even on small islands bordered by arms of fresh lava flow. The outpouring of lava occurs not only through volcanoes, but also through deep cracks in the earth's crust. Iceland has lava flows frozen between layers of snow or ice. Lava filling cracks and voids earth's crust, can maintain its temperature for many hundreds of years, which explains the presence of hot springs in volcanic areas.