Lava Lake in Pu'u O'o Crater: July 2007

Lava lake in Pu'u 'O'o crater (July 2007)

We present you some photos from the lava lake occupying the eastern part of Pu'u 'O'o crater on Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, taken during 14-20 July 2007.

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The active lava lake at dusk. The crust is so thin, that the red glow breaks through in many places; at the left side, parts of the crust are being overturned. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The active lava lake at dusk. The crust is so thin, that the red glow breaks through in many places;... [info]
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Overturning of older crust is a common feature at lava lakes. When the crust cools sufficiently, it contracts and becomes denser than the liquid underneath. Eventually, pieces of it become unstable and overturn to sink back into the lake. New crust is formed by upwelling lava from underneath. hawaii_e6829.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Overturning of older crust is a common feature at lava lakes. When the crust cools sufficiently, it ... [info]
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Hot, liquid lava flooding over older crust. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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$Liquid lava floods older crust. The weight of the flooding lava causes new fractures and new segments of the crust to overturn (upper left of the photo). (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)$

Liquid lava floods older crust. The weight of the flooding lava causes new fractures and new segment... [info]
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Fresh lava from the interior of the lake replaces older crust sinking back into the lake. hawaii_e7039.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Fresh lava from the interior of the lake replaces older crust sinking back into the lake. hawaii_e70... [info]
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Fresh lava from the interior of the lake flooding over older crust on the lake. hawaii_e7042.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Fresh lava from the interior of the lake flooding over older crust on the lake. hawaii_e7042.jpg (Ph... [info]
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The lava lake and the spattering vent at night. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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$The spattering vent feeding the lava lake and zig-zag fractures on the surface. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)$

The spattering vent feeding the lava lake and zig-zag fractures on the surface. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer... [info]
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The lava lake at dusk and an initial stage of crust overturn in the center. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View onto the largely crusted over lava lake. hawaii_e6817.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The lava lake in the evening light. At the far end, an overturn of crust has just taken place. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The lava lake in the evening light. At the far end, an overturn of crust has just taken place. (Phot... [info]
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hawaii_e7098.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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hawaii_e7099.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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$Concentric fractures in the lava lake crust causing a larger overturn of several segments on the lava lake surface. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)$

Concentric fractures in the lava lake crust causing a larger overturn of several segments on the lav... [info]
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hawaii_e7101.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Details of the lava lake in Pu'u 'O'o in July 2007 (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The lava lake in the eastern part of Pu'u 'O'o crater, Hawaii. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The part of the lava lake near its vent. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Sequence of photos showing the occasional overturning of the thin crust. The photos are spaced only few seconds apart from each other and show how the crust breaks into roughly concentric segments that overturn domino-style progressively from the inside out. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Sequence of photos showing the occasional overturning of the thin crust. The photos are spaced only ... [info]
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Smooth surface patterns of different segments of the thin crust covering the molten lava lake. hawaii_e6841.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Smooth surface patterns of different segments of the thin crust covering the molten lava lake. hawai... [info]
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Silvery, ropy stripes record the initial streching the thin crust of the lava lake has undergone immediately before cooling sufficiently to become locally rigid. hawaii_e6842.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Silvery, ropy stripes record the initial streching the thin crust of the lava lake has undergone imm... [info]
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Stripes on the surface of the lava lake crust. hawaii_e6843.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The surface of the lake is composed of a number of larger and smaller segments, which become heavier with time as they cool. When a segment sinks back into the interior, hot lava wells up from underneath and replaces it to form new crust: a vivid reminder of the presence of the liquid interior! - hawaii_e6847.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The surface of the lake is composed of a number of larger and smaller segments, which become heavier... [info]
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Part of the surface of the lava lake is being overturned and the older crust is replaced by fresh lava. The regeneration of the whole crust takes place of cycles of approximately 30 minutes. hawaii_e6854.jpg (c)

Part of the surface of the lava lake is being overturned and the older crust is replaced by fresh la... [info]
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View of the partly drained lava lake in Pu'u 'O'o crater. Originally, the lake had occupied the entire bottom of the collapsed crater and had been fed from two vents, one in the center of the crater (near the background of the photo) and one in the north-eastern part of it (center-right of the photo). Now, only the eastern vent is still active and the lava lake has drained and receded within a 2-m high terrace, assuming a 8-shaped surface. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

View of the partly drained lava lake in Pu'u 'O'o crater. Originally, the lake had occupied the enti... [info]
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Volcanic gas, in this case lots of sulphur dioxide, escape the crater of Pu'u 'O'o. hawaii_e6852.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Volcanic gas, in this case lots of sulphur dioxide, escape the crater of Pu'u 'O'o. hawaii_e6852.jpg... [info]
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Elegant shapes on the lava lake crust. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The smooth crust of the lake is broken into plates, which are moving against or away from each other, simulating plate tectonics. Above, a miniature mid-ocean spreading zone can be seen where two larger pieces of crust are moving away from each other. Even miniature transform faults and sheer zones due to differential and rotational movements can be seen. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The smooth crust of the lake is broken into plates, which are moving against or away from each other... [info]
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Fracturing crust in the triangle between three larger pieces of crust. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Divergent plates of the lava lake crust. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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$Fresh crust on the lava lake, only a few centimeters thick and crossed by zigzag fractures. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)$

Fresh crust on the lava lake, only a few centimeters thick and crossed by zigzag fractures. (Photo: ... [info]
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$Fresh crust on the lava lake crossed by zigzag fractures. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)$

Fresh crust on the lava lake crossed by zigzag fractures. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Folds on the lava lake's surface show that the surface undergoes a transition from liquid to plastic to rigid while cooling, allowing deformation in the process. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Folds on the lava lake's surface show that the surface undergoes a transition from liquid to plastic... [info]
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Thin, silvery crust of the lava lake. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Folds and rope-like textures in the surface of the lava lake, caused by pushing of the plastic crust against a more rigid piece of crust to the left. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Folds and rope-like textures in the surface of the lava lake, caused by pushing of the plastic crust... [info]
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View over the northeastern part of the crater with the active lava lake, around 100 m long, inside the "8"-shaped terrace walls, left by the original, much larger lake. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

View over the northeastern part of the crater with the active lava lake, around 100 m long, inside t... [info]
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Active lava lake in the eastern part of Pu'u 'O'o crater, Kilauea volcano. On the left side, a part of the crust is being overturned. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Active lava lake in the eastern part of Pu'u 'O'o crater, Kilauea volcano. On the left side, a part ... [info]
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The surface and the vent of the lava lake in the West Gap pit. hawaii_e7244.jpg (c) [info]
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Three days later, on July 17, the lake is no longer active. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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hawaii_e7249.jpg (c) [info]
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hawaii_e7255.jpg (c) [info]
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Exploding magma bubble at the vent of the lava lake in West Gap pit crater. (c) [info]
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hawaii_e7273.jpg (c) [info]
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Lava lake in Pu'u 'O'o crater (July 2007)

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