unfold over 22 kilometre ( 14 miles ) in East Java , Indonesia , is the Kawah Ijen volcanic complex . While this huge stretch of elaborategeological formationsboasts excise view in the daytime , come gloam the mountains spew electric blue flow of " lava " .
Believed to be theonly locationon the major planet to systematically expose these spectacular bluish flames , the Kawah Ijen volcano ’s beauty comes at a price , as the acute levels of sulphur make the gentle wind surround the complex toxic to anyone who rest it .
Why is the Ijen lava blue?
At first glance , theIjen volcanolooks like your peat bog - standard 600–900 ° C ( 1,112–1,652 ° farad ) stream of red - raging bubbling liquified rock , so what causes the flock ’s sundown transformation into something out of a sci - fi picture ?
The blue lava phenomenon is due to an abundance of sulfur pouch in the sway . atomic number 16 is a chemic element that ’s free as the tilt liquefies , and while burn off , it releases noxious gases like sulfur dioxide . It also create a striking dispirited flame .
As this sulfur comes into contact with oxygen it light , causing the blue flame that gives the lava the show of being totally grim , but it is in fact just the surface of the molten rock that ’s covered in grim flames .
The Ijen volcano’s blue flames as seen at night. Image credit: Mazur Travel / Shutterstock
Despite only being visible at night , the drab flames are always ignited on the Earth’s surface of the lava , they ’re just unvoiced to see in daylight .
The Kawah Ijen volcanic complex
This huge composite is in reality within a caldera – a volcanic crater that ’s formed when a volcano break open and collapses , often creating a largelake in its center . The Ijen coordination compound contains around22 eruption points , mostly around the rim of the caldera .
The water in the crater of the Ijen vent is an ask in hopeful turquoise color , but once again , do n’t let its looker fool you as this is thelargest window pane lakein the globe and has a pH of around zero . swim in the waters here could be biography - lowering , or at least cause serious accidental injury .
The abundance of sulfur in the arena , referred to by local as the“Devil ’s atomic number 79 ” , mean the complex is also home to one of the very few sulphur minelaying functioning done by hand . After the S - rich rock candy has cool off , and the blue flame has died out , it is collected for exercise in a number of products – in Java , the sulfur is used to make match and to make scratch whiter .
The acid lake at the center of the Ijen caldera. Image credit: Mazur Travel / Shutterstock
While tourists wear gas masks to visit the field , many of the miners are ineffectual to afford masks and alternatively use just a cloth to cover their mouths . Without the proper protective equipment , many of the S miners suffer serious wellness condition , with a third on a regular basis experiencing respiratory diseases .
Despite the many dangers of the Ijen complex , its rare and ( quite literally ) breathtaking appearance makes the country a democratic tourist attractive feature . Visits can be conduct safely if accompanied by knowledgeable hitch guide and protective breathing setup .
Other instances of blue flames
While the Kawah Ijen vent may be the only consistently burning blue fire , this striking phenomenon can technically look anywhere with high levels of certain flatulency .
There arereportsof blue fire appearing during a woods fire at Yellowstone National Park , US , where the sulfur surrounding the hydrothermal vents view aflare .
In 2018 , the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ) unloose ikon of blue fire appear to shoot out of the ground during an eruption ofKilauea in Hawaii . These flames were cause by a release of methane gas .
This gas was released as a upshot of lava from the eruption smother vegetation and preventing O from incur to it . This uncompleted burning cognitive operation , called pyrolysis , causes methane to be released , which in turn get a gloomy fire .
TheDallol volcanoin the Danakil Depression , Ethiopia , has also been known to chuck dreary - appearing lava , but this go on seldom and will burn for a few day at a time . These flame are also triggered by hydrothermal vents and sulfur spring inside the impression .
Before you jet off to see some of these incredibly uncommon and beautiful flame , always be conservative that they usually come accompanied by some pretty toxic ( and icky ) gases .
