Landforms:
* Lava flows: The most common feature, formed by the movement of lava across the landscape. These flows can be thick and slow-moving (aa) or thin and fast-moving (pahoehoe).
* Lava tubes: As the surface of a lava flow cools, it can form a crust over the still-molten lava flowing underneath. This creates tunnels, called lava tubes, which can be extensive and leave behind impressive cave systems.
* Lava domes: When lava is thick and viscous, it can pile up into a dome-like shape. These domes can be quite large and are often associated with explosive eruptions.
* Lava fountains: If the lava is more fluid, it can be ejected into the air as a fountain. These fountains can be quite spectacular and can create a variety of landforms, including spatter cones and cinder cones.
* Volcanic plateaus: Extensive, flat areas of volcanic rock can be formed by the eruption of highly fluid lava over a long period.
* Calderas: Large, bowl-shaped depressions formed by the collapse of a volcano after a large eruption.
Rock Textures:
* Columnar jointing: As lava cools, it contracts and can crack into vertical columns with a hexagonal cross-section. This feature is commonly seen in basalt flows.
* Pillow lavas: When lava flows into water, it can cool rapidly and form rounded, pillow-like shapes.
* Vesicles: As lava cools, gases dissolved in the lava can escape, leaving behind cavities called vesicles.
* Amygdules: When vesicles are later filled with secondary minerals, such as zeolites or chalcedony, they are called amygdules.
* Scoria: When lava with a lot of gas cools rapidly, it can form a porous, lightweight rock called scoria.
* Pumice: If the lava cools even faster, it can form a very light, frothy rock called pumice.
The specific features that occur depend on a variety of factors, including the composition of the lava, the rate of cooling, and the topography of the surrounding landscape.
Overall, the cooling of volcano lava at the surface results in a wide range of fascinating and diverse landforms and rock textures, showcasing the powerful and complex forces that shape our planet.
