LAVA FLOW

What is lava flow?

• Lava is the red hot molten rocks or magma that is expelled out of an
erupting volcano. Lava when inside the earth’s crust is reffered to as
magma. The temparature of lava is over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. The lava
stays in the molten form and flows to the ground from the volcano. Once it
cools it becomes hard and a forms a rock.The lava expelled from a volcano is
vicous . It has 100,000 times more viscosity than water.
• The lava flows from the volcano in either a molten or semi-molten form. The
distance that lava flows depends on several factors like the extrusion rate,
the temperature of the flow, land slope, and silica content. Lava flows are not
very fast. However , they are ver hot and can cause burns, charring, and
injuries to humans if they get closer. Lava takes several days to years to
completely down.
Effects of lava flow
• Everything in the path of an
advancing lava flow will be knocked
over, sorrounded, buried, or ignited
by the extremely hot temperature of
lava.
Lava Composition
• Lava is majorly made of melted rocks, dissolved gas, and crystals. The core
of the Earth contains magma which is dissolved in liquid. However, when the
magma erupts from the volcano the gas forms a distinct vapor phase as the
pressure is released. The gas present in the magma is the cause of its
explosive nature. The lava generally contains carbon dioxide, chlorine, sulfur,
and fluorine gases.
• The composition of lava also determines its behavior. The igneous rocks
formed from the cool lava are categorized into three types based on their
chemical composition. These groups have different amounts of elements and
viscosity.
• Felsic Lava
• Intermediate Lava
• Mafic Lava
 Mafic Lava
• The word derives from a composite of the chemical symbols for Magnesium
(Ma) and Iron (Fe). This magma has a low viscosity, which allows for gases
to escape the volcano, and for the lava flows to erupt calmly and predictably.
• Describes magma that contains lower amounts of silica and is generally less
viscous and less gas-rich than silicic magma. Tends to erupt effusively, as
lava flows.
Intermediate Lava
• As the name suggests, intermediate lava has a mineral composition that falls
between mafic and felsic lavas. It is also known as andesitic lava. It has low
amounts of silica and aluminum and high amounts of iron and magnesium
compared to felsic lava. This type of lava also erupts at temperatures around
750-950 degrees C. Intermediate lava forms blocky lava morphologies.
 Felsic lavas
• are low temperature lavas because lower temperatures are required to keep
felsic minerals molten (and if it was hotter it would have incorporated more
iron and magnesium in comparison to silica). So, mafic lavas are hot , low in
silica and volatiles, and have relatively low viscosity.

Types of Lava Flows

Pahoehoe lava
Pahoehoe is a smooth and continuous lava crust. Pahoehoe forms when the
effusion rate is low and consequently the velocity of lava flow is slow2.
Pahoehoe lava flow is usually at least 10 times slower than typical aa lava
flow5. Higher effusion rate results in lava flow being shattered which is how the
rubbly and clinkery aa lava surface forms.
Forming basaltic pahoehoe
lava flow in Hawaii. Such
lava flows move slowly and
are not overly dangerous when
compared with some other
volcanic phenomena.
 Aa lava
• Aa lava is a rough rubbly crust of a lava flow. It is a major lava
flow type. Other important subaerial lava flow types are pahoehoe
and blocky lava.

• Aa and pahoehoe are terms that were brought to geological

terminology from the Hawaiian language. Aa is according to native
Hawaiians a sound one makes if he or she tries to walk barefoot
on such a lava flow. There are different spelling versions, ‘a’a, a’a,
a-aa are used as well as simple aa. Pahoehoe means in Hawaiian
“on which one can walk”
Pahoehoe lava flow in the
center that have partially
covered the aa-type flow in
Hawaii.
 Aa lava on the floor of the Las
Cañadas caldera in Tenerife,
Canary Islands
 Blocky lava
• Blocky flows are common if the silica content of lavas is higher
(composition of basaltic andesite to rhyolite).

• Blocky lava flows resemble aa lavas. They also have highly

irregular surfaces covered with debris, but they contain larger lava
blocks with smoother sides and angular edges with common
dimensions from few decimeters to several meters. Blocky flows
grow higher as they advance and may reach more than 100
meters in height.
Here is a blocky flow (formed
in 1712) from La Palma,
Canary Islands. Blocks are
angular and have much
smoother sides than separate
pieces of aa lava.
 Pillow lava
• Pillow lava is usually basaltic or andesitic in composition and
always associated with water. Pillows are about one meter across
each or smaller and form when lava flows out of the Earth’s crust
underwater. Each pillow is like a bag that has quickly chilled
margin which is filled with molten material. Pillow lavas are usually
associated with mid-ocean ridge volcanism. The upper part of the
oceanic crust is composed of countless number of lava pillows,
but they can also form in much shallower conditions, even in lakes
or under glacial ice.
Pillow lava in the Caldera de
Taburiente, La Palma, Canary
Islands.