Home▸Geology & Earth Science▸Pahoehoe vs A'a Lava

🌋 Pahoehoe vs A'a Lava

Interactive 3D lava-surface generator where adjusting flow rate and cooling rate forms the simulated lava surface texture into either smooth, ropy pahoehoe or jagged, rubbly a'a.

Geology & Earth Science3DModerate60 FPS🌍 Earth

An interactive 3D lava field whose surface texture morphs continuously between smooth, ropy pahoehoe and jagged, rubbly a'a as you adjust effusion rate, cooling rate, and slope.

🔬 What It Demonstrates

Both textures form from chemically similar basaltic lava. The difference comes down to shear stress on the cooling crust: fast supply, rapid cooling, and steep slopes fracture the skin into a'a clinker, while slow, steady, well-insulated flow lets the skin fold smoothly into pahoehoe ropes.

🎮 How to Use

Drag the flow rate, cooling rate, and slope sliders and watch the computed a'a index and surface geometry respond live. Toggle the thermal glow to see the hot vent zone, and hit regenerate for a fresh flow pattern.

💡 Did You Know?

A flow can start as pahoehoe near the vent and turn to a'a farther downstream purely because it speeds up or cools faster — a one-way transition that geologists use to read the history of a lava field.

⚙ Under the hood

Interactive 3D lava-surface generator where adjusting flow rate and cooling rate forms the simulated lava surface texture into either smooth, ropy pahoehoe or jagged, rubbly a'a.

pahoehoeaa-lavalava-texturesvolcanologylava-flowsgeology

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install