It’s the stuff legends are made of—a mysterious, island volcano that spews dazzling blue lava. It doesn’t sound real, but you want to see for yourself. So you travel to see Kawah Ijen on the island of Java in the Pacific Ocean. T ere are more than 100 volcanoes on this island, which is also covered in mountains and deep, green forests. To look for the blue lava, you’ll need sturdy
hiking boots and plenty of water. You’ll also need to be careful. T e trail to the top is steep, and this volcano is dangerous. Pack a flashlight because you’ll need to travel at night. Despite the challenges, you won’t be alone.
T ere are others who are even more interested in this volcano than you are. Along the trail, you’ll meet a geologist who worries about the safety of the people living nearby. You’ll meet a volcanologist who studies the volcano’s unique lake. And you’ll meet the local people who mine volcanic material.
Climbing Up You start your climb on a well-worn pathway. It twists and turns its way through the forest at the base of the volcano. T e landscape here is green and lush. Not far into your journey, you meet John Pallister. Pallister knows this path well. He’s a geologist, a scientist who studies the way Earth changes over time. Pallister has worked many years with
scientists in Java to study the volcanoes. He agrees to hike with you and tell you more about the volcano you’re scaling. Like all volcanoes, Kawah Ijen starts deep
inside Earth. Under Earth’s crust lies the mantle. T is is a layer of superheated rock. It’s so hot, it’s partly melted. T e melted rock is called magma. Magma is lighter than the rock around it, so
it rises up toward Earth’s surface. Sometimes it rises through passages called vents that reach the surface. Volcanoes form around these vents.
The river of blue at Kawah Ijen is not really lava, but fi ery sulfur gas.
12 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER
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