I'm very slowly heating a cornstarch/water solution in an 600 ml beaker in a drying oven in order to hasten dessication and simulate the formation of columnar jointing in basalt. This technical paper on Order and Disorder in Columnar Joints describes an experiment that successfully duplicated the structure in the laboratory and inspired my effort. I'll be sure to post some pictures of the outcome of my tinkering, which is likely to take at least a week or two.
Hey, if you can't get out in the field during the winter there's always the laboratory.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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This sounds interesting. Please keep us posted.
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