columnar

views updated May 08 2018

columnar Applied to the habit or shape of a crystal that is rod like, with parallel faces, giving it the appearance of a column. Rocks such as basalts and dolerites may cool and develop a polygonal system of joints, usually at right angles to the cooling surfaces of the igneous body; the joints are well exposed by weathering. This feature is known as ‘columnar jointing’.

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

columnar

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like