A lava fountain erupting at Puu Oo on Mauna Loa, seen from the side.

Lava fountains are typical of subaerial Hawaiian volcanism. Relatively fluid (low viscosity) basaltic lava gushes from the vent to a height of several tens or (more rarely) hundreds of metres, propelled by gas pressure.

In the hawaiian style of eruption seen here, the lava remains molten as it falls back to the ground. It may form a small edifice called a spatter cone or spatter rampart around the vent, but usually contributes to a lava lake or flow (as can be seen happening in this picture). This differs from a strombolian eruption in which lava blobs land in the form of already solidified scoria.

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