Process of collecting molten lava from volcanoes

With only protective gear, a hammer and a bucket of water, geologists have turned the work of dangerous molten lava into a very gentle way.

The process of collecting volcanic lava

Recently, the US Geological Survey (USGS) posted a video of a geologist collecting samples of lava in Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, and the process seemed very simple.

When taking samples, geologists wearing clothes protected by the temperature of the lava can blister the skin from a long distance. They used a steel hammer to scrape the cool outer shell and then remove the molten lava with a temperature of about 1,150 degrees Celsius.

A geologist is sampling lava.(Photo: USGS).

Because the steel hammer is relatively cold, the lava on the hammer hardens slightly and easily slides from the hammer into the bucket of water. Melting lava makes the water boil instantly. According to USGS, geologists need to cool lava with water very quickly to avoid chemical changes from forming crystals during slow cooling.

A number of samples were stored while the rest was analyzed to determine the chemical composition and eruption temperature. Analyzing lava samples helps scientists at the Hawaii Volcanic Observatory learn about the activity inside Kilauea volcano.

"For example, we can distinguish between magma rising very fast from deep in the earth and magma stored for many years in shallow tanks inside volcanoes," said Janet Babb, USGS geologist at the Station. Observe the Hawaii Volcano, share with The Huffington Post.