Tag Archives: hawaii volcanoes national park

Steam Vents at HAVO

Volcanic steam drifts across the dry land of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. There are several large fields and pu’u basins within the park that are filled with these small vents, fractures in the ground created by years of heat and water being forced to the surface from flowing lava deep below.

The steam is composed mainly of water, but also carries other elements like sulfur and its more hazardous offshoot sulfur-dioxide. Seeing the steam waft out of the ground and smelling the sulfur is a fun yet uneasy reminder that you are standing on top of an active geologic powerhouse.

From the Photographer:

“…One of my favorite photos was my friend’s idea of taking a blurred motion of the steam down at Volcano Park. “

Steamy Weather at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Volcano Steam Vents

Superheated underground water turns into mist and is forced upward by pressure and heat coming from molten rock and hot gasses below Earth’s surface at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, creating an ethereal scene above as this steam vent shrouds Ohia trees. read more