Photo and Video Chronology - Kīlauea - March 29, 2002
Crustal overturning in Episode 55 crater
Lava began to fill the Episode 55 crater, just west of Pu`u `O`o, on March 27-28. A pond formed, with a floating crust. Gas bubbles rising from the lava in the pond are trapped by the crust. A density inversion results; lighter, bubbly lava underlies denser crust. Eventually a crack forms in the crust. The lighter lava gushes to the surface and overrides the crust. A slab of the crust breaks off, turns on end, and dives into the pond like a sinking ship. This process is called crustal overturning. An overturning event often sweeps across the surface of a pond in a few tens of seconds. These photos show one such event, moving toward the camera.
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