18th February, 2024
CHIRANJIT MITRA
Kawah Ijen has a massive lake holding incredible amounts of dissolved sulfuric acid. High-pressure volcanic gases loaded with sulfur are also forced up through vents near the lake.
When these sulfur gases contact the air and are heated by lava near the surface, they combust! With oxygen, sulfur burns with an otherworldly blue flame.
These intense blue flames look like molten rock pouring down the mountainside at night. It's more visible in the day as blue-tinted smoke around the crater.
Local miners venture into this surreal landscape to collect solidified sulfur. It's an incredibly hazardous job amidst noxious fumes.
While other volcanoes emit sulfuric gases, only a few places globally create the intense concentrations and conditions needed for this dazzling display.
● Kawah Ijen's lake is incredibly acidic, holding the title of the world's largest highly acidic volcanic lake. ● This volcano is on the island of Java in East Java province, Indonesia. ● While visually stunning, the fumes are potent, requiring visitors to wear gas masks in the crater area.