Jaggar — Yoleanologic Investigations at Kilauea. 213 



interior of the northeast grotto (like fig. 16^) 20 feet from 

 the localitj^ of immersion of Jan. 18. The terminal was 

 just over the boiling lava for 10 minutes; then 5 feet 

 (1-5™) of the pipe was submerged in the lava for 5 minutes. 

 The pipe was drawn down violently and recovered, much 

 bent, with great difficulty. The Seger cones were all 

 fused in some measure, that of fusibility 1070° least so. 

 The temperature of the grotto was thus at least 1100° C. 

 Jan. 26---Seven Seger cones of fusibilities 670° to 1130° C. were 

 placed in the glowing interior of a blowing dome (fig. 21) 

 which had been built over the northwest inlet well or pond 

 above a roof of arched lava flows. About 3 feet (1™) of 

 the end of the pipe was thrust for 9 minutes in a flaming 

 orifice 10 inches (25^'°) in diameter in the side of the dome. 

 The flame was under pressure and of the blue-green 

 variety. The pipe w^as of ordinary commercial galvanized 

 steel covered wnth a screw cap of annealed cast iron, and 

 the Seger cones within were in a spiral of " spring steel " 

 wire. Lava was splashing in a cavernous space 12 feet (4™) 

 below. The galvanizing first burned off the pipe, then the 

 surface of pipe was seen to be continuously dripping with 

 molten incandescent drops, especially at the window, and 

 after 9 minutes the pipe was eaten through, apparently 

 fused^ for a length of about 9 inches, just at the window 

 orifice where the visible gas flame began (tig. 19). The 

 incandescence was highest opposite the window, a strong 

 yellow heat; that inside the dome was orange. The pipe 

 was at once removed. The molten drops appeared to have 

 been molten iron. The cast iron cap was almost com- 

 pletely gone. The pipe showed gradations of fusion from 

 a maximum at the flaming window to a minimum at the 

 inner end. The spring steel spiral inside showed no sign 

 of fusion. The Seger cones were all fused, that of fusibil- 

 ity 1130° C. least so, indicating a probable temperature 

 over 1200° C. It was at first thought that the corrosion 

 of the pipe was oxidation, but in view of the dripping 

 fusion and the differential effects on three classes of iron, 

 and the fact that after the cap was destroyed, the inner 

 spiral had every opportunity to oxidize, but did not do 

 so, it seems that actual fusion took place. Annealed gray 

 cast iron (the cap) fuses at 1220° to 1275° C, rolled steel 

 (the pipe) fuses at 1325° to 1375° C, and hardened steel 

 (the spiral) fuses at 1425° to 1500° C. Wherefore we may 

 conclude that the temperature of the burning gas at the 

 flaming window was close to 1350° and that inside the 

 cupola near 1250°. Even if the metallic reaction was 

 largely oxidation, these figures w^ould not be materially 

 changed, as the Seger cone 1130° was greatly fused 

 loithin the dome, and the incandescence of the pipe at the 

 window was much higher. The dripping melt in such 

 case was an iron-sulphur oxide flux of fusibility probably 

 near 1250° C. 



