Spatter Cones, Craters of the Moon Vents at the Craters of the Moon Lava Field produced cinder cones, lava flows, and spatter cones. Splatter cones generally have steeper sides than the cinder cones because the temperatures of the spatter is above their glass transition temperature whereas the temperatures of the cinders are frequently below their glass transition temperature. Consequently, the still fluid spatter fragments weld together and support a steeper slope.

What is the glass transition temperature? What does the glass transition temperature depend on? Why is the glass transition temperature important for the interpretation of igneous processes? jim.nicholls@shaw.ca

Characterization of Volcanic Rocks

Each of the subsections under theory and analysis gives you access to three electronic documents. These documents are Portable Document Format (*.pdf) files. The documents can be read on the screen or printed. To read and print the documents, your computer will have to have Adobe's Acrobat Reader. Adobe Acrobat Reader is furnished free of charge and you can obtain it by clicking on the following button:

The electronic documents can be downloaded to your computer by clicking the right mouse button when the cursor is over the underlined text fragments in the immediately following links.
Text file describing methods for characterizing volcanic rocks:
Part1.pdf
Figures that accompany the characterization text:
Figures1.pdf
Tables that accompany the characterization text:
Tables1.pdf