Encore - Volcanic Bomb

April 23, 2016

EPOD_EncoreVolcanicbomb2

Take a look back at some of the EPODs our viewers found particularly eye-catching. Today and every Saturday EPOD invites you to rediscover favorites from the past. Saturday posts feature an EPOD that was chosen by viewers like you in our monthly Viewers’ Choice polls. Join us as we look back at these intriguing and captivating images.
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Photographer: David K. Lynch
Summary Author: David K. Lynch

Volcanic bombs are blobs of lava that have been ejected from a volcano during an eruption. Being somewhat gooey, airflow often molds them into aerodynamic shapes, producing teardrop or flying saucer shapes. Some bombs cool and harden before hitting the ground; however, this one was still viscous, and its sharp leading edge (left) was curled over on impact. The airflow lines and direction are clearly evident on the bomb’s surface, indicating that it was oriented and not tumbling through the air. Like most lava, this one contained dissolved gas which came out of solution and formed bubbles.

Bombs can be thrown many kilometers from a vent, but this one probably traveled only a few hundred meters, which perhaps explains why it did not have time to cool before landing. It was found on a cinder cone on the south flank of Mauna Kea, on the Big Island of Hawaii, where many other bombs could be seen.

See also: Field Guide to the San Andreas Fault

Hale Pohaku, Hawaii coordinates 19.760833, -155.455278

Earth Observatory images: