pyroclastic tuff balls - pair of tuff balls fused as they collided in the flow plus one normal

Here is something unique. A pyroclastic tuff ball, not yet hardened, collided with another tuff ball and stuck, forming this dumbbell-shaped example. A single is included for comparison.

The tuff balls must have formed in a pyroclastic flow somewhat like snowballs. The primary materials of the flow are pumice, tuff fragments and volcanic ash. As this mixture was blasted downhill, rolling and slightly melted fragments of tuff acted like snowball cores, picking up still glowing hot ash and other tuff fragments.

This particular flow is exposed in only a small area, so we are surprised when a few more weather out.

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