Lava ‘Skylight’ Offers A Frightening Look Inside A Volcano

  • 8 years ago
The U.S. Geological Survey has released video of a recent ‘skylight’ that was spotted on the active Kilauea volcano in Hawaii; the phenomenon occurs when the roof of a lava tube collapses and reveals the molten flow underneath.

Blackened lava fields may appear to be dormant, but a phenomenon captured on camera in Hawaii shows that there is often molten activity underneath, reports the Huffington Post.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS, released footage from the active Kilauea volcano showing what is commonly called a "skylight" where the roof of a lava tube collapses and provides a glimpse into the interior.
The video, taken from a helicopter, shows a field of black terrain with the exception of a circular area revealing a bright orange flow below. 
According to Tim Orr with the USGS Hawaiian Observatory, "...the crust of the roof of the lava tube was probably too thin to support itself....”