Dictionary

hyaloclast en · NOUN

Etymology

From hyalo- + clast.

Meanings

1. A volcanic glass fragment formed by hot lava rapidly cooling when it encounters water or ice, causing it to shatter into small, glassy pieces.
   • Hyaloclasts occur partly between the individual lava flows, partly in the vents penetrating the volcanic formations. 1974, Acta Geologica, volume 18, page 388:
   • Suite IV represents sediment gravity flow deposits near a deep submarine vent, whereas Suite V represents a mixture of hemipelagic mud and epiclastic sand which incorporated some hyaloclasts. 1987, Brian J. Taylor, N. F. Exon, Marine Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry of the Woodlark Basin-Solomon Islands (page 300)

Forms

Relateds

hyaloclastite