Ring of Fire

A flight over the White Island volcano in the Bay of Plenty shows the activity of its crater, which expels gases and steam. Mount Gisborn is a 320 m high and 800°C hot lava dome that grows in the center of the volcano. White Island is the summit of a much larger submarine volcano that is located 48 km (30 mi) offshore and that rises about 1600 m (5249 ft) above the sea floor.
Named Whakaari by the Maori, the volcano belongs to the Taupo volcanic chain. Continuous volcanic activity produced andesitic rocks over the past 150.000 years. A bilious green lake filled with toxic chemistry of the Earth’s interior is located in the center of volcano.

March 2002
Pentax MZ5, Sigma 70-300 mm, f/8, 1/250 second, Kodak Ektachrome E6, ISO 100, aerial photography
New Zealand Gallery » Ring of Fire