π€ Have you ever seen rainbow-colored lava?
π« These colors are created by thin-film interference, the same optical phenomenon responsible for the colors in soap bubbles and oil slicks (and thin film optical coatings)
π₯ As fresh pΔhoehoe lava cools, an ultra-thin microscopic layer of oxidized minerals or silica forms on its glassy surface
𫧠When light strikes this coating, some reflects from the top of the film while some reflects from the boundary where the film meets the volcanic glass
β¨ Those reflected light waves interfere with each other, and depending on the film's thickness, certain wavelengths reinforce each other while others cancel out
π That is what produces such vibrant colors!
π This video was captured by Jay McClellan using image stacking, and it was an honorable mention in the 2023 Nikon Small World in Motion Competition
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