Ropy Pahoehoe Lava

Ropy pahoehoe lava (lava with a smooth, billowy or ropy surface) on Kilauea, the youngest and southeastern-most volcano on the big island of Hawaii. Topographically Kilauea, which is located on the southernmost flank of Mauna Loa, was thought to be an extension of its giant neighbor. However, research over the past few decades clearly shows that Kilauea has its own magma-plumbing system, extending to the surface from more than 60 km deep in the earth.

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Image credit: Tom Pfeiffer / www.decadevolcano.net/VolcanoDiscovery.com