Galapagos island volcano lava flow

This image, captured on 6 March 2024 by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, shows lava flowing down the flanks of the La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina Island, Galapagos.

The volcano began erupting on 2 March. Since the island is uninhabited, the eruption poses no threat to humans – however, the island is home to numerous species of animals and birds.

The image has been processed using the satellite instrument’s shortwave-infrared channels to highlight the flow of lava. The La Cumbre volcano is one of the most active in the Galapagos Island chain and the darker shades of brown depict older lava flows.