Amazing pics I had not previously seen.

Sure glad I went to VNP in 2016 and stayed 2 nights so I was able to see the caldera both during the day and night.

I was watching some tv show about building "off the grid" and this couple was building a house wtihin an area below a volcanoe - I think it was like homesteading - land no one wants, so you can build there if you want (pretty sure it was Hawaii).

During part of the show they kept having to stop work and put on gas masks and such. Stupid to even think you can live a normal life in that type of environment. There is a reason no one wanted that acreage...

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Sure glad I went to VNP in 2016 and stayed 2 nights so I was able to see the caldera both during the day and night.

It is unknown if the caldera will ever full in with molten lava any time soon. When the quakes began, it was like a plug was pulled from a tub. All the liquid lava drained away fairly rapidly. Now the crater is pitch dark at night, although thermal imagery still shows plenty of heat.

Small lava tube, partially collapsed


Large lava tube, now accessible after a partial collapse many years ago


Inside view of the same lava tube- most are several miles in length and some even reach the coast. I’m over 6’ tall and had no trouble walking upright most of the time.
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The two types of lava flow encountered are Lava Pahoehoe (pa-hoey-hoey) and Aa (ah-ah). Pahoehoe is runny and of low viscosity; it appears smooth. Aa is high in viscosity and appears more jagged. An Aa flow is very noisy; constant clinking and popping as it progresses. The temperature and chemical nature of molten rock mainly contribute to the type of flow.

Some examples of Pahoehoe

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Aa lava


When a strong wind blows across fresh hot flowing lava, it can create finely spun glass that resembles human hair. It is referred to as “Pele’s hair” by islanders. You do NOT want to handle this stuff as it is like a hypodermic needle of fragile glass. It will get into skin with ease and shatter; kind of like fiberglass. It can be carried on the wind similar to spider silk.

Pele’s Hair

Not sure how safe I'd feel walking in a lava tube associated with an active volcano

quote:

Originally posted by SBrooks:
Not sure how safe I'd feel walking in a lava tube associated with an active volcano

That particular tube has been cut off from lava for centuries. Even so, you get the willies thinking about it when you lose sight of daylight.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
Inside view of the same lava tube- most are several miles in length and some even reach the coast. I’m over 6’ tall and had no trouble walking upright most of the time.
[url=https://postimg.cc/RJ9PYkMj]

If I'm not mistaken, this was Thurston Lava Tube?

I'd never before known dark until I went down the non-illuminated extension and turn off my flash light, holy smokes! The absolute, absence of light, complete and utter darkness. I had my head lamp and a Surefire with a new LED head, barely lit-up the space.

^^^
Yes, exactly. Since the park was closed, the power was cut off so the darkness was absolute.

Every day after the big 5+ magnitude quake, someone had to take a drive to make sure the road was passable to include the gated evacuation road from Leilani Estates where citizens and officials were in close proximity to the active flows. If the lava suddenly began flowing to block normal routes, they could escape through the park. Here is a time lapse of the drive from the park entrance to the gate blocking entry into the bulldozed emergency road.

https://vimeo.com/332285691

And here is a time lapse of the bulldozed section. It was hastily cut through the lava field and special machines were brought in to crush the lava into gravel.

https://vimeo.com/332296936/comments

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gearhounds,

Nearly a month after the two year anniversary of the event, here is a cool time lapse of the caldera from April to July from the USGS HVO. It really puts the amount of material displaced into perspective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmIuFdMTyyc

Was there way back in about '92.... this is when I realized that no matter what we humans think we can't control nature it is way more powerful than us.