CSAV Hawaii: Pele’s Hair (Volcanic Glass)

Pele’s Hair, one of the most beautiful creations of the volcano goddess Madame Pele, is formed when molten lava is stretched into thin filaments, usually when spatter is affected by the wind. In favorable areas of the Ka’u Desert, Pele’s Hair is piling up in large quantities, as the plume from Halemaumau carries lightweight strands of volcanic glass miles downwind. The Pele’s Hair forms above Halemaumau when rocks from the adjacent crater wall break off and fall into the lava lake, causing molten lava to sp