Day 12 & 13 - The Day the Cameras Came

Well day 12 was a business as usual day with me on the efflux and soil temperatures and Hannah working the soil gases. In addition to the work at hand, the features we saw today include a small ocean platform and the source of that ocean platform which was El Bucaro eruption centre, vents and fissures.

 Small ocean platform formed by the cooled lavas from El Bucaro that spilled in to the sea.

El Bucaro eruption centre.

However before the day's work on day 13, we had some extra work to complete. Today was the day the cameras came; Aaron Ramirez from Tandem Visual. We first made our way to the nearby Teneguia volcano, but on arrival it was quickly established that it was too windy for the microphones and for good sampling. So off we went on the hunt for another location - Samara had a good idea where to head too. I had a short interview on the Llano del Banco lava flows that are part of the much larger San Juan eruption. These flows are stunning and I will visit these in more detail another day. 

Mid- interview

Hannah was filmed on the same flows, in a slightly different location, I of course went on the hunt for some features and found a lava tube big enough to use myself as scale!

Lava tube big enough for me. 

The interview was followed by a slight change in location and a demonstration of the various techniques we were using in the field. As I was on soil gas sampling duties today, it is that that I demonstrated, by talking over the steps for the film as well as photos.

Demonstrating that I have been taught well!

The below link is to the short film. Made to help promote the GeoTenerife internships to future students. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy9l0nL7KG0

Once we had finished our filming it was back to business as usual. Today we finally got the chance to see the cloud 'waterfall'. The westerly trade winds bring the clouds in off the Atlantic. The cloud 'waterfall' flows over Cumbre Nueva in the middle of the island because it is at a slightly lower elevation than the Taburiente caldera rim to its north and Cumbre Vieja to its south. The clouds follow the topography of Cumbre Nueva and descend in to the valley.

 Cloud 'waterfall' tumbling over Cumbre Nueva

The day continued as per normal. On our lunch stop high up in the pine forests I went for a short wander while everyone else finished their lunch and found a small lava tube. Though small in diameter it is a perfect example of a lava tube.

Small lava tube

This lava tube is a great example of a tube that has been filled completely at some point during it's life time. The evidence for this is presented in the beautiful drips on the roof. These are drips of lava that would have formed as effusion rate dropped and the tube began to empty. The remains of a pahoehoe flow can be seen at the opening of the tube (bottom of image) and filling of the tube can just be seen towards the back of the tube. I was quite pleased with this little find!

It is time to chill and I will post again in the next day or so.

Every day is an adventure!

Buenas noches de La Palma!