Pele’s hair (closest Hawaiian translation: “lauoho o Pele”) is a form of lava. It is named after Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. It can be defined as volcanic glass fibers or thin strands of volcanic glass. The strands are formed through the stretching of molten basaltic glass from lava, usually from lava fountains, lava cascades, and vigorous lava flows.
Wind often carries the light fibers high into the air and to places several kilometers away from the vent. It is common to find strands of Pele’s hair on high places like treetops, radio antennas, and electric poles.
Pele’s hair does not occur solely in Hawaii. It can be found near other volcanoes around the world, for example in Nicaragua (Masaya), Italy (Etna), Ethiopia (Erta’ Ale), and Iceland, where it is known as nornahár [ˈnɔ(r)tnaˌhauːr̥] (‘witches’ hair’). It is usually found in gaps in the ground, mostly near vents, skylights, ocean entry, or in corners where Pele’s hair can accumulate.
It is not recommended to touch Pele’s hair, because it is very brittle and very sharp, and small broken pieces can enter the skin. Gloves should be worn while examining it.
Pele’s hair may occur along with Pele’s tears. They indicate to volcanologists information about the eruption, such as the temperatures and the magma’s path to the surface. Plagioclase starts to crystallize from the magma of Pele’s hair at around 1,160 °C (about 2120 °F). Also, the shape of the tears can provide an indication of the velocity of the eruption, and the bubbles of gas and particles trapped within the tears can provide information about the composition of the magma chamber.
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