The ropy texture of pahoehoe lava flows is produced when the thin solidifying surface of the flow is pushed by the advancing, still-molten interior. This pleated pahoehoe lobe, on a lava flow at Santiago shield volcano in the Galápagos Islands, advanced slowly from the bottom left to the top right. Pahoehoe lavas are the least viscous of common lava types, and thus form diverse surface structures.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (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 | pahoehoe | lava | lava lobe

Santiago