What type of lava does the arenal volcano have?
Actually there are more than two types of lava. The key parameters are viscosity and temperature. Hawaiian lavas are low in silica and tend to be less viscous than lavas elsewhere. However the Hawaiian originated terms ah-ah (sometimes called “aa”) and pahoehoe are widely used elsewhere. In other places lavas may be sheet flows or block lava. In the first link listed below, which is a research paper on Arenal from 1984, the lava flow is described as initially aa turning to “block” lava further down the flow. Block lavas move slowly at a rate ranging from 1 to 5 meter a day. When solidified, they are characterized by often cubic masses with relatively smooth faces. In comparison with aa lava flows the surfaces of block lavas are much less rough and pitted than aa lava flows.
