Geospeedometer animation
1,742 views · Published 16 October 2015 · 0:36 · Indexed 25 October 2026
Channel: Vanderbilt University · 2015 · Education
The outline of a millimeter-sized quartz crystal that formed in a magma chamber is shown in grey. Five blebs – blobs of molten rock that were captured in the crystal as it formed and grew – are shown as colored polygons.
By analyzing the faceting of these blebs, the researchers can determine the length of time that the crystal spent floating in the molten rock before the volcano erupted.
By comparing the time determined by the faceting with the distance between the blebs and the surface of the crystal, the researchers can also determine the growth rate of the crystals themselves – something which is still an unknown factor.
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