Why Is It Called a Pahoehoe?

Dana introduced the term "as" for this rough kind of lava-stream, whilst he applied the term "pahoehoe" to those flows which have a smooth surface, or are simply wrinkled and ropy; these terms being used in this sense in Hawaii, in relation to the local lavas.

Why is lava called aa?

The smooth variety is called pahoehoe, and the rougher variety is known as a'a (pronounced ah-ah). A'a is a Hawaiian word meaning “stony with rough lava”. ... During an eruption, a'a lava comes out of the volcano as a very thick (viscous) lava that travels very slowly. The inside of an a'a lava flow is thick and dense.

Is pahoehoe a lava?

Pahoehoe is a smooth, ropy lava, common on the Hawaiian islands. 'A'a is a more chunky and thick flow, that is most commonly associated with composite volcano eruptions. 'A'a lava flows are also called clinkers, because of their rough and jagged appearance.