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On January 8, scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, University of Texas at San Antonio, and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa hiked on the lava delta in the former Kapoho Bay created by Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. The group collected rock samples to characterize the chemistry and density of the emplaced lava, as well as its "rheology" (flow properties of lava in a liquid or near-liquid state). The pile of rubbly lava (similar to ‘A‘ā flows) in the foreground consists of crustal plates from the fissure 8 lava channel, which were loosely stacked as the lava slowed and cooled near the former coastline. The scientists shown here are hiking on denser "toothpaste" lava ooze-outs that were squeezed out from below the rubble pile, forming a characteristically spiny surface. The unstable rubble and sharp surface of the "toothpaste" lava, along with powerful waves along the coast, make for extremely hazardous hiking in this area. The scientists wore gloves and other protective gear and stayed well clear of the coastline to complete their work safely. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.
