Pahoehoe Lava

"Pahoehoe Lava"

What is a Pahoehoe Lava?

The first and most obvious difference is that pahoehoe flows are smooth down to a scale of a few mm. Instead of consisting of only 1-2 large flow units, a pahoehoe flow consists of thousands on thousands of small flow units called toes. Each toe is usually <30 cm thick, 1-2 m long, and 30-50 cm wide.

Pahoehoe lava is a common type of basaltic lava that cools down forming typical smooth, billowy, or ropy surfaces. Often, it forms by many small breakouts of lava from an over-crusted inflating flat, irregular flow.

The other kind of basaltic flow is pahoehoe (pronounced pa-hoy-hoy). Pahoehoe and aa have the same chemical composition although pahoehoe is less viscous (more fluid) then aa because the gases have yet to escape. Pahoehoe lava flow's have smooth, ropy surfaces.

Pahoehoe lava is a term used by Hawaiian to describe lava flows with a smooth unbroken surface. The basalt lava flows are typically 1100 to 1200 degrees Centigrade when they flow out of a volcano vent. They often form lava tubes that carry lava far down the slopes where they empty into the ocean at the flowfront.

Pahoehoe lava is a common type of basaltic lava that cools down forming typical smooth, billowy, or ropy surfaces. Often, it forms by many small breakouts of lava from an over-crusted inflating flat, irregular flow.