In a Hawaiian Lava Fountain, Fluid Magma Turns Brittle

Hawaiian volcanic eruptions are relatively calm, featuring flowing lava rivers and fountains. Studies done at the ALS, however, helped reveal that even fluid Hawaiian magma sometimes behaves less like stretchy taffy and more like brittle glass, shattering into fine particles (pyroclasts). https://als.lbl.gov/in-a-hawaiian-lava-fountain-fluid-magma-turns-brittle/