Glassy Basalt Recovered by ROPOS

Glassy Basalt Recovered by ROPOS

This very glassy basalt was sampled from the April 2011 lava flow by ROPOS from the southeastern side of the caldera on Axial Seamount. The glass forms when the 1200°C melt meets 2°C seawater. Scientists on land will use the glass to date the sample and to study its geochemistry and gas content.

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