Natural spectacle in Hawaii What's behind the rare "volnado"
Ever heard of a "volnado"? At the Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii, a rare volcanic vortex formed next to lava columns at the weekend - a spectacle that amazes even experts.
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- A rare "volnado" formed at the Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii on November 9.
- The volcanic vortex formed next to tall columns of lava and hurled glowing chunks of rock into the air.
- According to US geologists, "volnados" are caused by heat and gases that generate rotating air masses during eruptions.
On November 9, a spectacular natural spectacle occurred at the Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii: A so-called "volnado" - a rare vortex triggered by volcanic activity - formed in the immediate vicinity of a lava eruption.
Images show how the vortex spun next to the lava columns, which were up to 330 meters high, while glowing chunks of rock were hurled hundreds of meters into the air. The term "volcano" is a neologism made up of "volcano" and "tornado".
According to the US Geological Survey, a "volnado" is caused by extreme heat and rising gases during volcanic eruptions. These cause air masses to rotate so strongly that a mini-tornado is created, so to speak. The current eruption was the 36th this year - another example of Kīlauea's ongoing activity.
