White Feldspar Crystal Surrounded by Wispy Fragments of Glassy Volcanic Ash

From USGS Volcanoes:

Up close with a supereruption deposit....this microscope image gives a detailed view of a volcanic rock with a field of view only 0.02 inches across. The deposit was formed 640,000 years ago during eruption of the Lava Creek Tuff, one of Yellowstone's massive pre-historic eruptions. The white feldspar crystal in the center is surrounded by numerous wispy fragments of glassy volcanic ash. After landing on the ground, the ash particles were deformed and flattened during cooling and compaction of the very thick (and originally hot!) ash sheet. To allow light to pass through the rock, scientists must slice the sample down to one thousandth of an inch! Photomicrograph by J. Lowenstern. To read more about Yellowstone's eruption cycles and the Lava Creek Tuff visit the YVO website:http://on.doi.gov/1xqFUxq
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