A stunning and unusual natural event captured by Icelandic photographer Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove has taken social media by a pleasant surprise. It’s a top-down video showing lava flowing over snow. But what has sparked a lot of intrigue is the lack of visible steam during the process. In the footage, captured during the February eruption at Sundhnukagigar, the usual dramatic steam clouds associated with lava are absent.
The video’s creator shared the moment on social media, expressing confusion at witnessing it in person. “I managed to capture this moment during the February eruption at Sundhnúkagígar this year. This clip sparked a lot of debate in the comments section, as people questioned whether it was real because there was no visible steam when the lava crossed over the snow. I must admit, it also baffled me when I saw it in person, so I decided to seek explanations,” he wrote in the caption.
This phenomenon is likely due to the Leidenfrost effect, added the photographer. A well-known scientific principle, the Leidenfrost effect occurs when a liquid encounters a surface much hotter than its boiling point. In this case, the lava, which is incredibly hot, melts the top layer of the snow, creating a vapour barrier. This layer temporarily shields the underlying snow from further heat, preventing immediate melting.
The photographer explained, “The lava is so incredibly hot that it melts the top part of the snow, which then creates a vapour layer that shields the bottom part from the heat temporarily. Similarly to what you can observe when water droplets scoot around on a hot metal plate.”
The speed at which the lava moves also contributes to the lack of visible steam. The caption goes on to add, “The lava moves so fast that it actually manages to cover the snow before it can melt. As a result, it is all trapped underneath the fresh lava. Extremely fascinating if you ask me.”
Watch the video here:
So far, the post has garnered over 432,000 likes, with users commenting on the spectacle.
“I did not think this was real!! Amazing!” wrote one user.
A second comment read, “Fascinating! I’m so glad I read the caption before commenting because I was going to ask about the steam also! Super cool!”
One user, expressing a playful observation about the appearance of the lava in the image, wrote, “Anyone else think the lava looks like skulls?”
The interplay of volcanic heat, snow and the Leidenfrost effect creates a visually stunning effect. The video not only showcases nature’s raw beauty but also prompts the question – have CGI portrayals of nature in movies made us more sceptical of real footage?
