Pahoehoe Lava Flow, Kilauea Volcano Hawaii Target Name:   Earth's Volcanos Produced by:   J.D. Griggs, USGS Copyright:  Public domain Date Released:  16 July 1990

• Hawaiian Volcanoes
• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Toes of a pahoehoe flow advance across a road in Kalapana on the east rift zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii.

Pahoehoe is a Hawaiian term for basaltic lava that has a smooth, hummocky, or ropy surface. A pahoehoe flow typically advances as a series of small lobes and toes that continually break out from a cooled crust. The surface texture of pahoehoe flows varies widely, displaying all kinds of bizarre shapes often referred to as lava sculpture. Pahoehoe flows are much thinner than a'a flows, sometimes being only 30-50 centimeters (12 -20 inches) thick.