The optical illusion of blue lava is actually a chemical fire
In short: While the sight of electric-blue flows looks like a scene from a sci-fi film, it is not molten rock. True blue lava would require temperatures far beyond what Earth's surface can naturally produce. Instead, what we see is a spectacular chemical reaction involving sulfur and extreme heat.
The phenomenon known as 'blue lava' is actually a sulfuric fire. It occurs when sulfur combusts, producing a neon-blue flame. Such phenomena occur as sulfur combusts upon meeting heated air surpassing 360 °C (680 °F). Since standard lava displays a red-orange hue from its heat, Planck's law dictates that blue molten rock needs 6,000 °C (10,830 °F)—a level far exceeding what Earth's surface lava naturally produces.
The most famous display of this effect is at Indonesia's Kawah Ijen volcano on the island of Java. Known as 'the Blue Volcano,' it contains some of the highest sulfur levels in the world. Underground volcanic heat pushes sulfur toward the surface, where it can reach temperatures of 600 °C (1,112 °F).
As the sulfur breaches the surface and hits lower temperatures and pressures, it ignites instantly. These flames can erupt up to 5 metres (16 ft) into the air. Because the sulfur melts at these high temperatures, it can flow down the volcano's face, carrying the blue flames with it and creating the illusion of flowing blue lava. While Kawah Ijen is the world's largest blue flame area, the phenomenon appears elsewhere. It can be seen on Ethiopia's Dallol mountain and even in Yellowstone National Park during wildfires, where fire melts large sulfur deposits to create 'burning blue rivers.' A different mechanism also produces blue flames: in May 2018, lava from Kīlauea burned trapped underground methane, creating a distinct blue fire that was not caused by sulfur combustion.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Blue lava
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