Threads of fire: uncovering volcanic secrets with Pele’s hair and tears

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode explains Pele’s hair and tears—fragile volcanic glass formed when gas-rich basaltic magma is stretched and quenched—while using them to explore eruption dynamics, volcanic gas chemistry, climate links, and planetary geology. Guests Tamsin Mather and Kenna Rubin connect fieldwork on land and underwater to broader questions about hazard, monitoring, and the cultural meaning of volcanoes in Hawaii.

Main Topics: Origins and cultural meaning of Pele (Priority: 5/5): Kenna Rubin traces Pele to Hawaiian and wider Polynesian traditions, explaining how volcanic phenomena were personified and tied to land formation, weather, and spiritual beliefs. What Pele’s hair and tears are (Priority: 5/5): Tamsin Mather describes Pele’s hair as glassy volcanic threads and Pele’s tears as tear-shaped blobs formed when bursting bubbles stretch and cool basaltic magma rapidly. Why these materials matter scientifically (Priority: 5/5): Because they quench quickly and preserve magma composition, the deposits help scientists infer viscosity, silica content, water content, and volatile behavior at the eruption site. Fieldwork and volcanic hazard (Priority: 4/5): Both speakers discuss the dangers and logistics of sampling active volcanoes, emphasizing risk assessment, local monitoring, and careful observation in unstable environments. Submarine volcanism and deep-sea exploration (Priority: 5/5): Rubin details the rarity and value of human-occupied submersible work, including discoveries at depths greater than 6 km and how underwater eruptions broaden volcanic science. Volcanoes, climate, and planetary comparisons (Priority: 4/5): Mather connects volcanic gas emissions to climate forcing, large igneous provinces, mass extinctions, and comparisons with volcanism on Venus, Io, Mars, and the Moon.

Key Arguments: Pele’s hair and tears are not just curiosities; they are high-value samples because they preserve the composition of magma very close to the moment of eruption. The glassy texture forms because thin, low-viscosity magma cools so fast that crystals cannot form, leaving a brittle, sharp volcanic glass. Studying these deposits helps infer magma properties such as silica content, dissolved water, viscosity, and explosivity, which are central to eruption forecasting. Volcanoes are major conduits for chemical exchange between Earth’s interior, atmosphere, and oceans, so volcanic plume measurements inform both hazard science and climate science. Past volcanic episodes, especially large igneous provinces, provide a geological comparison for today’s human-driven carbon emissions and environmental impact. Submarine volcanism is crucial for understanding how pressure affects eruptions and for extending volcanic theory to other planetary bodies with similar physical conditions. Respect for local culture and consultation with local scientists are essential when working on or near sacred volcanic landscapes.

Data Points: Years studying volcanoes: More than 20 years - Tamsin Mather’s research career Career length in Hawaii volcanology: 30 years - Kenna Rubin’s career at the University of Hawaii Sea expeditions: More than 30 expeditions - Rubin’s oceanographic fieldwork Human-occupied submersible dives: More than 60 dives - Rubin’s deep-sea research experience ROV dives: Several hundred - Rubin’s use of remotely operated vehicles Deepest known active submarine volcanic deposit: About 6,100 meters depth - Discovery made by Rubin on the mid-Cayman Rise Alvin maximum depth after upgrade: 6,500 meters - New capability described by Rubin Descent rate of submersible: 30 to 40 meters per minute - Rubin’s description of dive operations Time on the seafloor: 10 to 12 hours - Typical submersible dive duration Typical seabed distance covered per geology dive: 1 to 1.5 kilometers - Untethered vehicle exploration range Atmospheric light lost at depth: About 150 to 160 meters - Rubin’s description of underwater visibility Northwest Rota volcano eruption depth: 570 meters - First observed deep-sea eruption mentioned by Rubin West Mata summit depth: About 1,200 meters - Site of a spectacular observed eruption Formation frequency of significant Pele’s hair deposits in Mather’s career: 3 or 4 times - How often she encountered substantial deposits Lava-flow interaction distance in Iceland example: About 10 kilometers - Distance lava traveled before making Pele’s hair/tears in wet terrain Large igneous province duration: About 1 million years - Mather’s estimate for major flood-basalt events Large igneous province volume: About 1 million cubic kilometers of magma - Scale of basalt outpourings discussed by Mather Human emissions compared with volcanoes: About 60 times more carbon dioxide - Mather’s comparison of modern human output to global volcanic CO2 Mauna Loa last eruption before recent event: 1984 - Rubin’s example of delayed eruption after inflation Kilauea lava lake period: Mid-2000s to 2018 - Rubin’s discussion of long-lived summit activity Prehistoric Hawaiian deposits size: Cucumber/banana sized clumps; occasional deposits as large as an arm - Rubin’s description of Pele’s hair accumulation

Pivotal Quotes: "Pele is volcano goddess in Hawaii" — Kenna Rubin: Explaining the origin of the name Pele in Hawaiian volcanic features "they really do look like hair" — Tamsin Mather: Describing the appearance of Pele’s hair "no measurement is worth taking undue risk for" — Tamsin Mather: On fieldwork safety and volcano risk assessment

Implications: Pele’s hair and tears are tiny but powerful records of eruption conditions. For listeners and researchers, they show how volcanic samples can improve hazard assessment, climate understanding, deep-sea exploration, and planetary science.