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~ Molten Lava Meets Pacific Ocean ~ Island of Hawaii July 08

A recent phenomenon; massive explosions take place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrachloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
~ Between Jupiter and Earth  ~

A massive static electric lighting bolt flashes through the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

Taken at the official Hawaii State Civil Defense lava viewing area on the Big Island,  there is an excited crowd of people nearby in the shadows below, and that 'star' above is the planet Jupiter. The 3/4's-full moon is just off to our left and the moonlight is what has lit up the towering lava plume. To make things even more fun, the magenta/violet-hued color within the lower plume is a rare static electric lightning flash.

The massive column of steam, sulfur dioxide, glass particles, ash, rock and instantly created black sand are all generated from a huge volume of molten lava dumping into the Pacific Ocean out of a single lava tube that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano further upslope - on the Island of Hawaii.

Prints okay to 12x18 but does have some stressed pixelation, which begins to show more in larger sizes due to the conditions taking the photograph.

Photo taken at 8:45 PM on July 14th, 2008 HST – Island of Hawaii
Lava Blasts into Pacific Ocean #1

Moonlight illuminates this stunning phenomenon: massive explosions take place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrachloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.

Island of Hawaii
~ Pele Roars #6~

A recent phenomenon; massive explosion takes place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrachloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
Molten Lava and Electric Bolt Blasts Inside moonlit Lava Plume 

In a stunning display of awesome power, a massive volume of molten lava pours into the Pacific Ocean and instantly explodes resulting in tremendous heat, steam, sulfur gas, glass particles, rock, black sand and rarely, a lightning bolt within the raging plume - seen as the small violet color above the sparks in this photo.
Electric Bolt Blasts Inside Lava Plume #3

In a stunning display of awesome power, massive volumes of molten lava pours into the Pacific Ocean and instantly explodes resulting in tremendous heat, steam, sulfur gas, glass particles, rock, black sand -- and rarely, a lightning bolt within the raging plume seen here as a violet color above the lava showers.

Photo taken at the official Hawaii State Civil Defense lava viewing area on the Big Island
Lava Plume Funnel

This plume is the result of a massive volume of molten lava shooting out of a lava tube that lies within the lava I am standing on while taking this photo.

The lava explodes as it hits the ocean water resulting in tremendous heat, steam, sulfur gas, glass particles, rock and sand. So much turbulence often spawns heat tornadoes or water spouts. This spout is about 100-feet long.
~ Pele Roars #4 ~

A recent phenomenon; massive explosion takes place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
~ Molten Lava Meets Pacific Ocean ~

A recent phenomenon; massive explosion takes place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
~ Molten Lava Meets Pacific Ocean ~ Island of Hawaii July 08

A recent phenomenon; massive explosions take place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrachloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
~ Molten Lava Meets Pacific Ocean ~ Island of Hawaii July 08

A recent phenomenon; massive explosions take place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrachloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
~ Molten Lava Meets Pacific Ocean ~ Island of Hawaii July 08

A recent phenomenon; massive explosions take place at the base of the plume where molten lava is pumping into the ocean on the Island of Hawaii.

The plume is comprised of steam, sulfur dioxide, hydrachloric acid, glass particles, ash, rock, and black sand. As the molten lava pours out of the lava tubes that carried it from magma chambers under the flanks of Mauna Loa’s Kilauea volcano above, it instantly explodes into black sand and rock fragments. Many of these molten chunks will continue floating and streaming on the ocean. This is the most ocean entry lava that has been seen here in local memory.
See photo in original gallery.