Vog and Laze

​In May of 2001 my family and some friends went to the Big Island for the first time. I think we stayed at Kilauea Military Camp right in the park.  While Pele was evident in Volcanoes National Park by the steam vents, you couldn’t see lava. So we took a helicopter ride. From the safety of the air we saw the last three remaining houses of the Royal Gardens neighborhood-which had largely been destroyed in the lava flow of 1990.  Other sights included a faint glimmer of lava in the Kilauea caldera and some lava trickling in the ocean. 
 
That trickle had an accompanying white plume of steam. The pilot/guide assured us it was a toxic cloud of basically hydrochloric acid. As we circled around the plume, he added that it was so corrosive that even heavy duty equipment designed for brutal conditions had a very short life span if left in the area for even hours.  This was our introduction into what has recently been called laze in the extensive media coverage.  ​

My point in this story is that laze is by no means a “new” threat.  Those of us who have traveled and hiked Kilauea have heard the warnings of avoiding areas where the lava pours into the ocean, before. Indeed, there have been deaths attributed to exposure to the steam. The difference now seems to be that the areas of Lower Puna and the Ka’u desert have been increasing in population in the past twenty years.  According to non-confirmed reports 20,000 more residents have moved into the area within that time. 
 
The term laze is not a new term. It seems to be in the volcanology literature as far back as 1912 when mentioned in a chemistry textbook by Edward Thorpe. Of course it is possible that the term existed before. The thing to know is laze is dangerous and exposure is potentially fatal. However, the good news is while laze is much more dangerous than its cousin vog;  laze does not have nearly the persistence of vog.  The Hawaii Volcano Observatory reported yesterday (May 20th, 2018) that it can be carried at most 15 miles.  Like vog, it is impossible to get a consistent measure of its chemical and particulate make up due to the constantly changing nature of the lava. Below is an imperfect but simple way of distinguishing between vog and laze.

	Vog	Laze
Chemical Composition	H2O (water), CO2(carbon dioxide) and SO2(Sulfur dioxide). “Reacts to the oxygen, sunlight and moisture and produces fine particles” (vog.ivhhn.org)	H2O( Water) , HCI (hydrogen choride, CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and(SO2) Sulphur dioxide (1)
pH	4.5	1.5-3.52
Particulate Matter	2.5 micrometers mainly acid and neutral sulfate particles.	Glass Particles
How far can it go? (2)	Broad area at least 200 miles	No more than 15 miles
Exposure Symptoms	Itching of eyes and skin, muscle aches, irritated nasal passages and sinuses, post nasal drip, increased asthma symptoms.	Burning of eyes, skin, and lungs. Even short term exposure may result in death.
Long-term Effects	No evidence of long term effects according to one study in someone with no history of asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions. (Honolulu Star Advertiser 5/21/2018)	Possible long term damage to lungs, eyes, and skin. This is a fatal substance.
Protection Methods	Increase hydration, run air conditioning or other air filtration methods, avoid going outside Masks do not work unless rated for particles below 2.5 micrometers and used properly with a seal.	The only protection is lack of exposure. Get out of the area!  There is no protective material available.

In summary, please visit the Big Island, there is a lot to do. Just be smart and avoid being exposed to the hazards of an active volcano. 

[1](M. Edmonds, T.M Gerlach Earth and Planetary Science Letters
[2]Volcanic Gas Hazards from Kilauea Volcano (volcanoes.usgs.gov)