Flow Lines

Flowing lava leaves its mark in many ways. The simplest of these are flow lines, etched into the walls of the cave or floor of the cave. The first photo shows a phenomenon sometimes seen in places where two major conduits converge, leaving a v-shaped point aimed in the direction of the flow at the head of the passage wall that divides them. These are called “ship’s prows” for their resemblance to such a feature. The second image shows very fine flow lines that seems to rise and fall, perhaps indicating some turbulence in the flow at this point. Photo 4 especially suggests repeated flow episodes through the same tube.

Photos 5 and 6 show some impressive flow lines in the Galapagos. Some of these appear to be narrow gutters with a jagged levee marking the edge.