The black, newly solidified glassy surface of pahoehoe lava flows commonly has a silvery or iridescent color. Pahoehoe lavas form during eruptions that are characterized by the upwelling of hot, low-viscosity magma. This smooth-textured pahoehoe flow at Kīlauea volcano was photographed in August 1994.

Photo by Paul Kimberly, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution).

This image is made available under the Public Domain Dedication CC0 license, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Galleries: Lava Flows

Keywords: lava flow | eruption | effusive | lava

Kilauea