In ancient times, cultures conceived the world as sacred. Everything that lives on Earth; humans, plants, water, sky, volcanoes and more, it was more than just matter, they were spirits. From this worldview comes the ancient cult of volcanoes, natural constructions that live tied to the heart of the Earth and that through the permanent lava lakes show a strong heartbeat.
From above, the permanent lava lakes look like eyes of fire. Large circles that contain molten magma at a temperature of 1200° C and that are the entrance to a crater or an important volcanic mouth, but…
How are permanent lava lakes formed?
Once the volcanic cone is filled with lava, it flows across the surface forming a lake that remains in a viscous and active state. However, this does not necessarily indicate that it will erupt.
Lakes function as signals from a volcano’s respiratory system, like lungs. These circles fill and drain as the gases in the magma chamber work. If the pressure of the gases inside the chamber decreases, then the lava falls again and the lake disappears.
In some places in the world there are lava lakes that are permanent. These function as natural laboratories for science and help decipher volcanic processes. Thanks to them we better understand processes such as convection and cooling.
The oldest lava lake on the planet
Volcanoes are enormous formations that were born next to the planet and its surfaces. One of the oldest is the lake on Mount Erebus, Antarctica. This volcano has been active for around 1.3 million years and its lake has existed since 1970.
It is certainly a permanent and peculiar lava lake, as it is considered one of the five long-lasting lava lakes on Earth. However, the oldest of all is the one found in the Erta Ale volcano, located in the Danakil desert, Ethiopia. Surrounded by an inhospitable desert and salt lakes, the Erta volcano rests. This volcano is the most active in Ethiopia, reaching an altitude of 613 meters and at its summit is home to the most primitive lake on record.
According to records, the Erta lava lake was born for humans in 1967. But, it is believed that its formation began in 1906. We will have to wait for technology to decipher it precisely.
So far, between 9 and 5 lakes have been recorded over the past few decades. However, currently there are only about five that are truly active and functional. Although nature claims to be perfect, sometimes there are geological constructions so wonderful that they cannot be so common. From this sense, permanent lava lakes become a unique and extraordinary detail that few volcanoes possess. After all, the Earth chooses who can experience the pulse of life from its core to the surface.