Site 3 - Tumulus

Located next to the road, this surface feature is 10 to 20 meters high and has a 160 meters diameter. A tumulus indicates that magmastatic pressure within the lava flow led to localized inflation processes that took place during lava flow emplacement, often located in places along the flow path where the ground slope decreases. This tumulus shows numerous outpourings from its sides or top forming small channels and even small tubes on its sides. Tumuli are often indicative of the presence of lava tubes underneath because they emplace along the lava tubes paths where the ground surface present a break in slope.