Organ Pipes – Columnar Basalt

Subject: Basalt Columns at Reynisfjara Beach
Location: Reynisfjara, Iceland
Notes: When the surface of a lava flow is cooled rapidly, hexagonal patterns (columnar basalt) may form perpendicular to the flow direction. These “organ pipe” basalt columns are adjacent to the sea at the black volcanic sand beach of Reynisfjara, near Vik.