Indonesia’s Kawah Ijen volcano spews out blue lava thanks to its incredibly high levels of sulfur. But the beautiful phenomenon also reveals a dark secret.
The active Kawah ijen volcano art of a complex of volcanoes in Banywang Regency, Java. This popular complex is situated within Ijen crater with stratovolcano Gunung Merapi as the highest point. It is one of the world’s mounusual volcanoes because instead of producing the usual red lava and black smoke, its underground activities result in bright blue flames rising into the air. Some people even call it electric blue fire. Since it was mentioned on TV (National Geographic to be precise) the number of tourists who travel to East Java and Indonesia has significantly increased.
The phenomenon is caused when the volcano’s sulfuric gases come into contact with air temperature above 360 degree Celsius.
The Ijen volcano complex has some of the highest levels of sulfur in the world. This dense collection of the gas, when exposed to oxygen and lit by the molten hot lava burns blue. Unlike regular volcanoes whose bright red lava is visible in the day, Kawah Ijen’s blue burning flames can only be seen at night. “The vision of these flames at night is strange and extraordinary,” Photographer Olivier Grunewald says, “After several nights in the crater, we felt really living on another planet.”
Here you can also find the largest acid lake in the world which is conveniently situated within the crater. While the turquoise water of this crater lake is quite spectacular, it can also threaten your life.
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