Erta Ale News

 

Yet another intense effusive phase showed up in the southern pit crater of the volcano over the past three days.

As reported by our expedition leader, geologist and local guide, Enku Mulugeta from VolcanoDiscovery Ethiopia, a new surge of magma transfer arrived in the lava lake.
Vigorous lava spattering has been forming the already sizeable hornito, located on the northwestern edge of the crater. This suggests that the flux of magma rising within the volcano has been significant. Hornito is typically described as "new volcano" and is considered to be hawaiian-type phenomena, volcanic feature forming when part of juvenile, plastic lava fragments, flowing within lava tube and/or under lava lake surface, escapes through and solidifies around vent opening due to strong degassing.
It has been three days now since the southern pit crater rim has been overflowed by emissions of incandescent, fluid lava due to its relatively high discharge rate.
Slabs of dark, solidified crust continue to shift on pahoehoe-texture lava lake surface accompanied by typical bright orange lava glow between them.