Reticulite: An extreme form of pumice!



Reticulite is an extreme form of pumice formed within high lava fountains; about 1,000 feet, (300 meters), high, or more. Dissolved gasses within the lava form bubbles which expand until they burst, leaving behind a fragile,  honeycomb - like structure. In spite of its light weight, reticulite does not float. Drop a piece of reticulite in some water and it will sink much like chicken wire.

Photo: Warren Costa

New activity on Kilauea Volcano!

This image of Pu'u O'o was taken looking east. In the foreground is ponded lava, originating from several individual vents.

Photo: USGS

Video footage of new eruption at Kilauea volcano's East Rift Zone!

Amazing footage of new eruptive fissure atop Kilauea volcano.

Video: USGS

Gas venting within Pu'u O'o

An aerial view of Pu'u O'o looking to the southwest. Image shows distinct venting coming from the east wall. Location; Kilauea volcano, on the island of Hawaii.

Photo: USGS

Kalapana Lava Flow Saturday, July 17, 2010

Aloha Everybody! This past Saturday, my family and I woke early in the a.m. to go out to view the lava flow near to Kalapana. We got there before the sun came up and were surprised to see a fast moving, surface flow crossing Highway 130. This was certainly one of the fastest moving flows I have seen in some time. The image above is of a lobe of inflated pahoehoe lava oozing through an old fence. The dark lava beneath the glowing lobe is from the 1990's.

Photo: Warren Costa

Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory Geologist Sampling Lava

Geologists at Hawaiian Volcanoes Obseratory, (HVO), collect samples of lava from active flows to get information on temperature, gas content, and chemical composition of the lava. In this photo, a geologist braves extreme radiant heat to collect a sample from an 'a'a  flow. The photo on the bottom is a thermal image that shows the temperature gradient of the lava. The interior of the flow exceeds 1000 degrees celsius, (1800 degrees fahrenheit).

Photo: Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory