Melt Inclusion (IMAGE)

Brown University

Melt Inclusion

Caption

Melt inclusions are tiny dots of magma frozen within olivine crystals. The crystals lock in volatile elements that may have otherwise escaped from the magma. Researchers have shown that melt inclusions within volcanic glasses from the Moon contain carbon. They conclude that gas-phase carbon likely drive the "fire fountain" eruptions the produced the glass.

Credit

Saal Lab / Brow University

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