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Volcanoes

Lava flow types or morphologies: Pahoehoe and aa: Photo credit: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Get the Six Lava Flow Types or Morphologies Explained

There are six lava flow types or morphologies: pahoehoe, aa, blocky lava, pillow lava, sheet flow, and lobate. The first three are subaerial, and the

Categories Volcanology
Pillow lava image
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What Are Pillow Lavas? How and Where Do the Form?

Pillow lavas are mound-like tubular, nearly spherical, or pillow-shaped structures associated primarily with submarine or underwater basaltic volcanism. They usually measure 0.1-1 meter or more

Categories Volcanology
Lava sheet flow
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What Are Sheet Flow Lavas and How Do They Form?

A sheet flow is a type of submarine lava flow. It has a broad lateral extent relative to its thickness, making it look more like

Categories Volcanology
Blocky lava with large, angular, slightly smooth blocks
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How Do Blocky Lava Flows Look Like and Form?

Block or blocky lava flows have a fragmented surface with large (usually up to a meter in size), angular to slightly smooth, or planar rubbles,

Categories Volcanology
Pahoehoe vs. aa lava flow differences
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How Do Pahoehoes Compare and Contrast with Aa Lava Flows?

This post discussion will compare and contrast pahoehoes and aa subaerial lava flows, highlighting their similarities and differences. To give you a hint, some similarities

Categories Volcanology
Aa lava flow showing clinkers in Hawaii
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What Does an Aa Lava Flow Look Like and How Does It Form?

‘A’ā (pronounced “ah-ah”) is a Hawaiian term that describes a lava flow with jagged (sharp and rough) rubbly debris called clinkers, now a geological term accepted

Categories Volcanology
Ropy or pahoehoe lava flow meaning
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How Does a Pahoehoe Lava Flow Form and Transition?

Pahoehoe or ropy lava flow is one of the subaerial lava flows, characterized by a smooth, ropy, gently undulating, or hummocky continuous chilled surface or

Categories Volcanology
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