Amid the recent explosive flurries from the Halemaumau Crater on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, researchers have found something very special a glass-like, black dragon egg.
OK, not quite a dragons egg. But the researchers from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory are nonetheless pretty excited to find this extremely unique-looking Peles tear, proclaiming it as the Coolest Pele's Tear ever!
This 1.5 centimeter (0.5 inch) treasure was found byTim Orr near the rim of Halema'uma'u Crater on January 8, 2015,roughly 110 meters (360 feet) above the lava lake from which it is believed to have been spat from.
These glassy deposits are often spewedfrom volcanos and their lava lakes, but its rare to find onein this oval shape. They are formed when molten lava is ejected in a volcanic fountain and then coolsextremely quickly. Due to this swift process of formation, theyre more likely to be an irregularshape.
Peles tears are steeped in the history and culture of Hawaii. Theyre named after Pele the beautiful, yet temperamental, Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. Volcanologists, locals, and travelers also regularly come across Peles hair. These are a similar phenomenon caused by molten lava cooling rapidly, however, they take on a strand-like appearance, a bit likevolcanic fiberglass.
Halema'uma'u Crater has been pretty lively the past few weeks.Itis believed to be riled up by a rockfall causing changes to the lava lakes volatile pressure systems.
To my knowledge, its the only thing like it that has ever formed, Orr told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
I have nothing else that I can call it, he added. I dont know how it could have formed.
Check out the footage below of the Halema'uma'u Crater of Kilauea, filmed around the same time the quirky Peles tear was formed.
Read more: http://www.iflscience.com/environment/hawaiian-lava-lake-spits-dragon-egg
