Nyiragongo Volcano

Nyiragongo Volcano - John Seach
Democratic Republic of Congo

Nyiragongo Volcano is famous for the lava lakes which regularly appear in the summit crater. The first records of activity were in 1884, when there was explosive eruptions in the southern pit.

The volcano is a valuable location to study volcanic activity because of the presence of a lava lake. From a scientific viewpoint, lava lakes are valuable, because they provide an ongoing series of eruptions.

Nyiragongo Volcano

Lava lakes.
The main characteristic of a lava lake is that they are not fed by an ordinary type of eruption. They represent the uppermost level of convection currents which stir the magma column.

Lava flows from a normal eruption cool and solidify within minutes to days after extrusion. Even lava ponds which are hundreds of metres deep cool in a few years. Lava lakes are unique because they may remain molten for decades.

• Nyiragongo eruptions
  

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