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May 30, 2021: Open Lava Tube

An open lava tube observed during the Galapágos Rift Expedition 2011. This collapsed feature often occurs when the outer edges of a flow are quickly cooled by contact with seawater. The insulated lava inside remains viscous and eventually recedes, creating a void.

From: Exploring from Afar.

Credit

Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Galapágos Rift Expedition 2011.