2. Molten lava photographs - High Res

WHERE LAVA MEETS OCEAN

High resolution images of molten lava colliding with the Pacific Ocean. More ocean entry lava can be viewed in this gallery: http://leighs-gallery.smugmug.com/organize/Moltenlavaphotos/ROYAL-GARDENS-LAVA-FLOW-2011
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Super-heated steam and sulfur dioxide dance along the ocean as the molten lave enters the ocean off to the right; all to the delight of tour boat guests~
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Super-heated steam and sulfur dioxide dance along the ocean as the molten lave enters the ocean off to the right; all to the delight of tour boat guests~

  • Molten Lava Pours into the Sea
  • ~ New Lava Bench #3 ~ IMG# 8489<br /> <br /> Newly formed bench created along the ocean as lava pours over and over upon itself. These are a very dangerous areas to get too close to because these areas regularly collapse into the sea without warning, taking much of the nearby cliff with it, as well as create very explosive blasts of rock far offshore and inland.
  • Lava Blasts into Pacific Ocean #2<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Island of Hawaii
  • Lava Plume Funnel<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.
  • ~ Between Jupiter and Earth ~<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Photo taken at 8:45 PM on July 14th, 2008 HST – Island of Hawaii
  • Electric Bolt Blasts Inside Lava Plume #3<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Photo taken at the official Hawaii State Civil Defense lava viewing area on the Big Island
  • ~ Pele's Eye ~ Electric Bolt Blasts Inside Lava Plume #4<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Photo taken at the official Hawaii State Civil Defense lava viewing area on the Big Island
  • Earth Air Fire Water<br /> <br /> ~ Molten Lava Enters the Sea ~<br /> <br /> This photo has the Firewolf in it ;)<br /> <br /> Island of Hawaii
  • Winter Solstice Full Moon #1<br /> <br /> A gorgeous evening with the extra bright full moon and lava meeting the sea near twilight.<br /> Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Dec 22, 1999
  • ~ Winter Solstice Full Moon Lava (Twilight) #2 ~<br /> <br /> Winter Solstice 1999. Having a full moon on Winter Solstice is a fairly rare event in and of itself, but the rising full moon that night was said to be closer to the earth than it would be again for 35 years, so I made a special effort to get this photo and the next three that follow. A magical night it was!<br /> <br /> Southeast shores of the Island of Hawaii~~
  • ~ Winter Solstice Full Moon Lava #3 ~ (and Jupiter on the right)<br /> <br /> Southeast shores of the Island of Hawaii
  • ~ Winter Solstice Full Moon Lava #4 ~ <br /> <br /> (Please see the closer view without the moon titled 'Golden Lava Falls' in the following image, if you had seen that one at my lava photo display and are looking for it)<br /> <br /> Winter Solstice 1999. Having a full moon on Winter Solstice is a fairly rare event in and of itself, but the rising full moon that night was said to be closer to the earth than it would be again for 35 years, so I made a special effort to get this photo (and the previous & following two).<br /> <br /> Southeast shores of the Island of Hawaii<br /> <br /> Prints well beyond 30X40-inches
  • ~ The Photographer ~<br /> <br /> Winter Solstice Full Moon Lava on the southeast shores of the Island of Hawaii.<br /> <br /> (Note the fellow photographer and tri-pod across the molten lava. This guy became trapped there when the lava came down behind him and into the ocean. He was able to find a narrow passage between the flows and head uphill until he found a patch of cooling lava to cross. He burned his boots but survived.
  • Super-heated steam and sulfur dioxide dance along the ocean as the molten lave enters the ocean off to the right; all to the delight of tour boat guests~
  • Pele Fireworks<br /> <br /> A lava bench collapse caused seawater to rush into cracks onto the yellow-hot lava further insde the lava tube creating huge explosions hundreds of feet high~
  • Molten Lava Explodes from underwater lava tube<br /> <br /> That is black sand being instantly created there!-- Where all our black sand beaches originat from: lava meeting the sea.
  • Lava rock fragments blast off from lava that is entering the ocean
  • Double Ocean Entry Lava Plumes<br /> <br /> (This one looks especially good printed on canvas)<br /> <br /> April 20, 2009 - Waikupanaha & Kupapa`u ocean entry sites<br /> Island of Hawaii
  • ~ The Face of Pele ~ (In the sulfur & steam cloud overhead the sparks.<br /> <br /> A lone figure stands before the Volcan Goddess~~<br /> A Hawaiian favorite~
  • Park volunteer Ron documents a lava tube skylight opening. In the distance lava glows as it enter the sea at dusk.
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