Scientists study lava for clues to how volcano will behave





Lava is molten rock, or magma, that reaches the earth’s surface in a slush of crystals and bubbles of volcanic gases. Its chemical composition includes silicon, aluminum, oxygen, and iron.

Hawaii volcanoes are known for two main types of lava flows. The first, called a’a, is generally characterized by lava that flows fast and cools quickly, creating a jagged, rough surface. The other type of lava is called pahoehoe, which cools more slowly and leaves a smooth, billowy surface as it creeps across land.




“When this eruption first started (on May 3), one of the biggest outstanding questions was — is there new lava that’s being pumped into the volcano from deep within the earth, or is this old lava that has been sitting?” said Tracy Gregg, an associate professor of geology at the University of Buffalo.

“You can think of it as sitting in a bucket. Someone has pulled the plug on the bucket, and the bucket is draining down,” Gregg said. At the same time, there could be a “constant, slow production of new lava beneath Kilauea filling the bucket.”


Magma is always lurking under the surface of Kilauea, but it won’t come out unless subterranean pressure pushes it out.

A crater on the volcano recently started “inflating,” which indicates the growing presence of lava in an underground reservoir. Inflation can cause the land to bulge or deform. Similarly, as magma leaves a chamber, potentially to erupt, the ground can also “deflate.”


“If magma sits around for a little while, it becomes kind of old and sticky, and it forms crystals,” she said. “It’s really sluggish, and it’s not very voluminous in the way it comes out.”



Younger lava is generally hotter and more liquid, as it has higher amounts of gas and fewer crystals. “That creates a more fluid and dynamic lava at the surface,” Stovall said.



A dramatic increase of lava splattering like fireworks from the ground might mean the volcano is just getting started and the eruption won’t end anytime soon.


Scientists have been collecting lava rock samples to examine the crystals embedded within to look for a chemical “signature.” That allows them to compare previous samples collected at different times, Stovall said.

The comparisons could help shed light on the volcano’s inner workings, but researchers have not drawn any conclusions yet.


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