Columnar Jointed Basalt in Idaho
Columnar jointed Basalt along the Salmon River in Riggins, Idaho
This is a basalt flow that pushed up through a large fissure in the earth's crust. As this massive flow cooled, it began to shrink and formed the vertical fractures you see here. This process is called columnar jointing. With time, these columns of rock fracture again but this time horizontally leaving large blocks. Eventually, the blocks break away and tumble to the valley below. This is pretty much a text book example of columnar jointed basalt.
Columnar jointed Basalt along the Salmon River in Riggins, Idaho
These pictures show both the columnar (vertical) joints and the horizontal fractures on the top part of these columnar joints.
The size of the columns depends somewhat on the rate of cooling;
very rapid cooling may result in very small columns, while slow cooling
is more likely to produce large columns. These are smaller columns.
Columnar jointed Basalt south of Buhl, Idaho
Columnar jointed basalt south of Buhl, Idaho on the way to Balanced Rock.
The size of the columns depends somewhat on the rate of cooling; very rapid cooling may result in very small columns, while slow cooling is more likely to produce large columns. As you can see these are larger columns.
Columnar Basalt south of Buhl, Idaho
Perfect example of columnar jointed basalt.
The size of the columns depends somewhat on the rate of cooling; very rapid cooling may result in very small columns, while slow cooling is more likely to produce large columns. And these are larger columns.
More of that Columnar Jointed Basalt south of Buhl, Idaho
Note how this section of columnar jointed basalt is not so columnar as the the other pictures, but it was just a few yards away from the other pictures.
The size of the columns depends somewhat on the rate of cooling; very rapid cooling may result in very small columns, while slow cooling is more likely to produce large columns. And these are very large columns.
Columnar jointed basalt cliffs on the Boise River near Idaho City, Idaho
Knowing that the size of the columns depends on the rate of cooling; with and rapid cooling may result in very small columns, while slow cooling is more likely to produce large columns.
So what happened here? It this two different flows? The bottom flowing in wet/winter weather while the top flow setting up in hot/dry summer weather? I do not know but I do see what looks like two different cooling times.
Columnar jointed basalt cliffs on the Boise River near Idaho, City
This picture shows both the columnar (vertical) joints and the horizontal fractures on the top part of these columnar joints.
Columnar jointed basalt cliffs on the Boise River near Idaho City, Idaho
This picture shows both the columnar (vertical) joints and the horizontal fractures on the top part of these columnar joints. The "horizontal" fractures seem to me to be fractures but I do not see the "horizontal" in them.
Click here for some Columnar Jointed Basalt in Yellowstone National Park
Click here for some Columnar Jointed Basalt in Texas
Click here for some more Columnar Jointed Basalt
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