Archean felsic volcanic rocks often causes pyroclastic flow (hot, dense gas with volcanic fragments) instead of fluid lava flow. However, if the rhyolitic lava is still molten during eruption, it can behave and flow like fluid flow. Felsic lava flow and lava dome are the two common types of underwater deposits formed by Archean felsic volcanic rocks (Fig. 4). Documented Archean lava structures are distinctive from post-Archean felsic lava because underwater eruptions are so rare in post-Archean. The dacitic or rhyolitic lava flows are quenched right after the eruption. When water is in touch with the flow, the lava quickly cools down. Finally, The
Samarium–neodymium dating minerals, so a mafic rock which crystallises mafic minerals will concentrate neodymium in the melt phase relative to samarium. Thus, as a melt undergoes fractional crystallization from a mafic to a more felsic composition, the abundance of Sm and Nd changes, as does the ratio between Sm and Nd. Thus, ultramafic rocks have high Sm and low Nd and therefore "high" Sm/Nd ratios. Felsic rocks have low concentrations of Sm and high Nd and therefore "low" Sm/Nd ratios (for example komatiite has 1.14 parts per million (ppm) Sm and 3.59 ppm Nd versus 4.65 ppm Sm and 21.6 ppm Nd