Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

A typical portion of the pāhoehoe flow margin near flow front, just...

Detailed Description

A typical portion of the pāhoehoe flow margin near the flow front, just downslope of Cemetery Rd./AP‘A‘ā St. The horizontal incandescent cracks seen in the center and right portions of the photo indicate that the flow was inflating. pāhoehoe inflation is driven by continued supply of lava beneath the surface crust, which slowly raises the surface.