Heating Experiments of Maskelynite in Zagami, Elephant Moraine A79001 and Allan Hills 77005: Implications for the Effect of Shock Heating
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Shergotty Basalt, 5 Kg Seen to Fall Introduction the Shergotty Achondrite Fell on August 25, 1865 at 9:00 A.M
V. Shergotty basalt, 5 kg seen to fall Introduction The Shergotty achondrite fell on August 25, 1865 at 9:00 a.m. near a town called Shergahti in Bihar State, India after detonations were heard (Graham et al. 1985). Duke (1968) refers to several stones with fusion crusts, but this has not been confirmed. The main mass is at the Museum of the Geological Survey in Calcutta, India (figure V-1). In 1984, an international consortium was organized by J. C. Laul to study ~30 grams of Shergotty in detail (Laul 1986a, b). Shergottites (Shergotty, Zagami, EETA79001B, QUE94201, Los Angeles) are texturally and mineralogically similar to terrestrial diabases (although all of the plagioclase has been shocked to maskelynite), but quite distinct petrologically and chemically from the rest of the basaltic achondrites (Stolper et al. 1979). Stolper and McSween (1979) and others have noted that Shergotty crystallized under relatively oxidizing conditions. Figure V-1. Photograph of Shergotty meteorite The Shergotty meteorite has been severely shocked and showing fusion crust and borken surfaces. Two saw is considered the “type locality” for maskelynite (dense cuts are visible. Sample is about 25 cm across. Photo plagioclase glass). In fact, it has proven to be very kindly provided by Prof. N. Bhandari, Director, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, India. difficult to date the original crystallization event of Figure V-2. Photograph of slab of Shergotty meteorite showing basaltic texture and alignment of pyroxene crystals. Note the inclusion of black glass in the center of this slab. This is figure 1 in Duke (1968). Photo courtesy of U. -
LEW 88516.Pmd
LEW88516 – 13.2 grams Lherzolitic Shergottite Figure 1. Photograph of LEW88516 after first break for processing. Cube is 1 cm for scale. NASA # S91-37060 Introduction meteorite has three distinct textural regions: 1) poikilitic Lewis Cliff sample LEW88516 is petrologically similar crystalline, 2) interstitial crystalline (or non-poikilitic) to ALH77005 (Satterwhite and Mason 1991; Treiman and, 3) glassy to partially crystalline veinlets. Delaney et al. 1994) and Y793605 (Kojima et al. 1997). (1992), Lindstrom et al. (1992) and Harvey and However, it is not paired, because it has a distinctly McSween (1992) have also reported petrological different terrestrial exposure age. Figure 1 shows descriptions of LEW88516. Papike et al. (2009) LEW88516 as a small (2 cm), dark, rounded, meteorite compared LEW88516 with the rest of the shergottites. with coarsely crystalline interior. In the poikilitic regions, mm-sized olivine crystals and LEW88516 was a small nondescript meteorite that was 50 micron-sized chromite crystals are contained within, not recognized as an achondrite until it was broken open and completely surrounded by, pigeonite crystals with Hence, it waited 2 years to be processed in numerical exsolution lamellae of augite. Maskelynite, whitlockite order. According to Satterwhite and Mason (1991), and sulfides are rare in the poikilitic regions. LEW88516 had a “pitted and mostly shiny fusion crust over 80 % of the surface.” Preliminary The interstitial areas have a more typically basaltic examination of the thin section showed about 50 % texture with intergrown euhedral and subhedral olivine, olivine, 35 % pyroxene, 8 % interstitial maskelynite with pigeonite and chromite, with interstitial maskelynite, about 5% brown glass. Grain size is about 2 - 3 mm. -
SPECTRAL CHARACTERIZATION of the ANCIENT SHERGOTTITES NORTHWEST AFRICA 7034 and 8159. KJ Orr1, LV Forman1, GK Benedix1
Ninth International Conference on Mars 2019 (LPI Contrib. No. 2089) 6177.pdf SPECTRAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ANCIENT SHERGOTTITES NORTHWEST AFRICA 7034 AND 8159. K. J. Orr1, L. V. Forman1, G. K. Benedix1, M. J. Hackett2, V. E. Hamilton3, and A. R. Santos. 1Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia ([email protected]), 2School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 3Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut St. #300, Boulder, CO 80302 USA. 4USRA, 7178 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, MD 21046. Introduction: Thermal infrared (TIR) spectros- Ga), the oldest confirmed shergottites recovered so far copy is a powerful remote sensing tool used to unravel [5]. As the only shergottites of Early Amazonian to No- the surface compositions of a target body. This tech- achian in age, they provide an invaluable opportunity to nique has been widely used in space missions, because understanding Mars’ early history. of its ability to detect and determine modal mineralogy Methods: Both samples (~0.5g chips) were ac- of the surface geology. It has been instrumental in de- quired from UNM and were made into epoxy mounts. veloping our understanding of Mars, as the majority of NWA 8159 was analyzed with a Tescan Integrated Min- missions sent to Mars have included an infrared spec- eral Analyzer (TIMA) to determine modal mineral trometer. These spectrometers can operate either in the abundancies and produce high-resolution mineral maps. visible (VIS) to near-infrared (NIR) or in the mid-infra- NWA 8159 was also analyzed using EBSD to charac- red (MIR). -
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 [W453] MARTIAN METEORITE MADNESS: MIXING on a VARIETY of SCALES 1:30 P.M
Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017) sess453.pdf Wednesday, March 22, 2017 [W453] MARTIAN METEORITE MADNESS: MIXING ON A VARIETY OF SCALES 1:30 p.m. Waterway Ballroom 5 Chairs: Arya Udry Geoffrey Howarth 1:30 p.m. Nielsen S. G. * Magna T. Mezger K. The Vanadium Isotopic Composition of Mars and Evidence for Solar System Heterogeneity During Planetary Accretion [#1225] Vanadium isotope composition of Mars distinct from Earth and chondrites. 1:45 p.m. Tait K. T. * Day J. M. D. Highly Siderophile Element and Os-Sr Isotope Systematics of Shergotittes [#3025] The shergottite meteorites represent geochemically diverse, broadly basaltic, and magmatically-derived rocks from Mars. New samples were processed and analyzed. 2:00 p.m. Armytage R. M. G. * Debaille V. Brandon A. D. Agee C. B. The Neodymium and Hafnium Isotopic Composition of NWA 7034, and Constraints on the Enriched End-Member for Shergottites [#1065] Couple Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic systematics in NWA 7034 suggest that such a crust is not the enriched end-member for shergottites. 2:15 p.m. Howarth G. H. * Udry A. Nickel in Olivine and Constraining Mantle Reservoirs for Shergottite Meteorites [#1375] Ni enrichment in olivine from enriched versus depleted shergottites provide evidence for constraining mantle reservoirs on Mars. 2:30 p.m. Jean M. M. * Taylor L. A. Exploring Martian Mantle Heterogeneity: Multiple SNC Reservoirs Revealed [#1666] The objective of the present study is to assess how many mixing components can be recognized, and address ongoing debates within the martian isotope community. 2:45 p.m. Udry A. * Day J. -
ALH77005 - 482Grams Intermediate Lherzolitic Shergottite
ALH77005 - 482grams Intermediate Lherzolitic Shergottite Figure 1. Photograph (or Mug Shot) of exterior surface of ALH77005 showing minor fusion crust and “polished” appearance. The cube is 1 cm. (NASA #S78-31750) Introduction poikilitically enclosing olivine. Maskelynite (An53) is This Martian meteorite was found partially imbedded interstitial to olivine and pyroxene. Some pyroxene has in the ice at the Allan Hills site during one of the first undulose extinction and some shock melting has collecting seasons (Yanai et al. 1978). It has a rounded occurred. (slightly oblate) shape and its surface was partially- ablated and roughly-polished by wind-blown ice (figure ALH77005, LEW88516 and Y793605 have very similar 1). Only ~5% of the surface still had a thin black fusion mineralogy, texture and shock features (Treiman et al. crust at the time of collection (Mason 1978, 1981). 1994; Mikouchi and Miyamoto 1997, 2000). ALH77005 Interior voids (2-4 mm), exposed by the saw cuts, and LEW88516 have apparently been more heavily appear to be surrounded by shock melt. At least one shocked than other SNC meteorites (see below). small hole (1 mm) extends to the surface (T1). ALH77005 has been extensively studied by Ishii et al. Preliminary examination of ALH77005 reported that it (1979), McSween et al. (1979 a, b), Berkley and Keil is ~55% olivine, ~35% pyroxene, ~8% maskelynite and (1981), Ma et al. (1981), Shih et al. (1982), Reitmeijer (1983), Smith and Steele (1984), Collinson (1986), ~2% opaques (Mason 1981). The olivine (Fa28) occurs as anhedral to subhedral grains up to 2 mm long. The Jagoutz (1989b), Lundberg et al. -
Aqueous Alteration in Martian Meteorites: Comparing Mineral Relations in Igneous-Rock Weathering of Martian Meteorites and in the Sedimentary Cycle of Mars
AQUEOUS ALTERATION IN MARTIAN METEORITES: COMPARING MINERAL RELATIONS IN IGNEOUS-ROCK WEATHERING OF MARTIAN METEORITES AND IN THE SEDIMENTARY CYCLE OF MARS MICHAEL A. VELBEL Department of Geological Sciences, 206 Natural Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1115 USA e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT: Many of the minerals observed or inferred to occur in the sediments and sedimentary rocks of Mars, from a variety of Mars-mission spacecraft data, also occur in Martian meteorites. Even Martian meteorites recovered after some exposure to terrestrial weathering can preserve preterrestrial evaporite minerals and useful information about aqueous alteration on Mars, but the textures and textural contexts of such minerals must be examined carefully to distinguish preterrestrial evaporite minerals from occurrences of similar minerals redistributed or formed by terrestrial processes. Textural analysis using terrestrial microscopy provides strong and compelling evidence for preterrestrial aqueous alteration products in a numberof Martian meteorites. Occurrences of corroded primary rock-forming minerals and alteration products in meteorites from Mars cover a range of ages of mineral–water interaction, from ca. 3.9 Ga (approximately mid-Noachian), through one or more episodes after ca. 1.3 Ga (approximately mid–late Amazonian), through the last half billion years (late Amazonian alteration in young shergottites), to quite recent. These occurrences record broadly similar aqueous corrosion processes and formation of soluble weathering products over a broad range of times in the paleoenvironmental history of the surface of Mars. Many of the same minerals (smectite-group clay minerals, Ca-sulfates, Mg-sulfates, and the K-Fe–sulfate jarosite) have been identified both in the Martian meteorites and from remote sensing of the Martian surface. -
Vnir Spectral Properties of Martian Meteorites and Comparison with Crism Spectra of Mars in the Isidis Basin Region
77th Annual Meteoritical Society Meeting (2014) 5186.pdf VNIR SPECTRAL PROPERTIES OF MARTIAN METEORITES AND COMPARISON WITH CRISM SPECTRA OF MARS IN THE ISIDIS BASIN REGION. J. L. Bishop1 and D. Tirsch2. 1Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute and NASA Ames, Mountain View, CA. E-mail: [email protected]. 2Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany. Introduction: The spectral properties of Martian meteorites provide a source of crustal Martian rocks for ground truthing orbital data. Coordinated VNIR and mid-IR spectral analyses of the meteorites and mineralogy of Mars are important for understanding the composition of the surface [e.g. 1,2]. Analyses of the VNIR and mid-IR spectral properties of several Martian meteorites were presented recently and coordinated with the mafic outcrops on the surface of Mars [3]. Here we focus on the VNIR reflectance spectra of ALH 84001, EETA 79001, Los Angeles, Dar al Gani 670, and NWA 1068 and compare these with CRISM spectra of mafic outcrops in the Libya Montes regions, south of Isidis Basin on Mars. Basaltic crustal rocks are exposed in the Libya Montes region exhibiting a variety of spectral signatures [4]. However, in many cases the spectra of these basaltic rocks are more consistent with the spectra of meteorites and other basaltic rocks than with spectra of pure minerals. Spectral Properties of Martian Meteorites: The meteorites studied contain pyroxenes (ranging from orthopyroxene to pigeonite to augite), feldspar (and maskelynite), fayalitic and fosteritic olivine, silica, and glass. Their VNIR reflectance spectra contain distinct bands near 1 and 2 µm for samples dominated by pyroxene. -
Appendix a Recovery of Ejecta Material from Confirmed, Probable
Appendix A Recovery of Ejecta Material from Confirmed, Probable, or Possible Distal Ejecta Layers A.1 Introduction In this appendix we discuss the methods that we have used to recover and study ejecta found in various types of sediment and rock. The processes used to recover ejecta material vary with the degree of lithification. We thus discuss sample processing for unconsolidated, semiconsolidated, and consolidated material separately. The type of sediment or rock is also important as, for example, carbonate sediment or rock is processed differently from siliciclastic sediment or rock. The methods used to take and process samples will also vary according to the objectives of the study and the background of the investigator. We summarize below the methods that we have found useful in our studies of distal impact ejecta layers for those who are just beginning such studies. One of the authors (BPG) was trained as a marine geologist and the other (BMS) as a hard rock geologist. Our approaches to processing and studying impact ejecta differ accordingly. The methods used to recover ejecta from unconsolidated sediments have been successfully employed by BPG for more than 40 years. A.2 Taking and Handling Samples A.2.1 Introduction The size, number, and type of samples will depend on the objective of the study and nature of the sediment/rock, but there a few guidelines that should be followed regardless of the objective or rock type. All outcrops, especially those near industrialized areas or transportation routes (e.g., highways, train tracks) need to be cleaned off (i.e., the surface layer removed) prior to sampling. -
The Tissint Martian Meteorite As Evidence for the Largest Impact Excavation
ARTICLE Received 17 Jul 2012 | Accepted 20 Dec 2012 | Published 29 Jan 2013 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2414 The Tissint Martian meteorite as evidence for the largest impact excavation Ioannis P. Baziotis1, Yang Liu1,2, Paul S. DeCarli3, H. Jay Melosh4, Harry Y. McSween1, Robert J. Bodnar5 & Lawrence A. Taylor1 High-pressure minerals in meteorites provide clues for the impact processes that excavated, launched and delivered these samples to Earth. Most Martian meteorites are suggested to have been excavated from 3 to 7 km diameter impact craters. Here we show that the Tissint meteorite, a 2011 meteorite fall, contains virtually all the high-pressure phases (seven minerals and two mineral glasses) that have been reported in isolated occurrences in other Martian meteorites. Particularly, one ringwoodite (75 Â 140 mm2) represents the largest grain observed in all Martian samples. Collectively, the ubiquitous high-pressure minerals of unusually large sizes in Tissint indicate that shock metamorphism was widely dispersed in this sample (B25 GPa and B2,000 1C). Using the size and growth kinetics of the ring- woodite grains, we infer an initial impact crater with B90 km diameter, with a factor of 2 uncertainty. These energetic conditions imply alteration of any possible low-T minerals in Tissint. 1 Planetary Geosciences Institute, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA. 2 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA. 3 Poulter Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA. 4 Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. 5 Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA. -
1 Unique Achondrite Northwest Africa 11042: Exploring the Melting And
Unique achondrite Northwest Africa 11042: Exploring the melting and breakup of the L Chondrite parent body Zoltan Vaci1,2, Carl B. Agee1,2, Munir Humayun3, Karen Ziegler1,2, Yemane Asmerom2, Victor Polyak2, Henner Busemann4, Daniela Krietsch4, Matthew Heizler5, Matthew E. Sanborn6, and Qing-Zhu Yin6 1Institute of Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 2Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 3National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and Dept. of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA. 4Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland. 5New Mexico Bureau of Geology, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM. 6Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA. Abstract Northwest Africa (NWA) 11042 is a heavily shocked achondrite with medium-grained cumulate textures. Its olivine and pyroxene compositions, oxygen isotopic composition, and chromium isotopic composition are consistent with L chondrites. Sm-Nd dating of its primary phases shows a crystallization age of 4100±160 Ma. Ar-Ar dating of its shocked mineral maskelynite reveals an age of 484.0±1.5 Ma. This age coincides roughly with the breakup event of the L chondrite parent body evident in the shock ages of many L chondrites and the terrestrial record of fossil L chondritic chromite. NWA 11042 shows large depletions in siderophile elements (<0.01×CI) suggestive of a complex igneous history involving extraction of a Fe-Ni-S liquid on the L chondrite parent body. Due to its relatively young crystallization age, the heat source for such an igneous process is most likely impact. -
Northwest Africa 2975 – 70.1 Grams
Northwest Africa 2975 – 70.1 grams NWA2986 – 201 grams NWA2987 – 225 grams ? NWA4766 – 47 grams NWA4783 – 120 grams NWA4857 – 24 grams NWA4864 – 94 grams NWA4878 – 130 grams NWA4880 – 81.6 grams NWA4930 – 117.5 grams NWA5140 – 7.5 grams NWA5214 – 50.7 grams NWA5219 – 60 grams NWA5313 – 5.3 grams NWA5366 – 39.6 grams Enriched fine-grained shergottite (shower) ~1.6 kg Figure 1: Photograph of NWA 2975 taken by Mike Farmer. Cube is 1 cm. Introduction Abstracts by Wittke et al. (2006) and Bunch et al. (2008) describe a shower of small (~100 g each) bits and pieces of basaltitc shergottite (there may be over a hundred pieces). Many have a fresh fusion crust (partial), a basaltic texture and the characteristic glass pockets and thin black glass veins such as are seen in Zagami and other basaltic shergottites. These glass pockets will prove important (see sections on EETA79001 and Zagami). 1 The first specimen, NWA 2975, was originally purchased by Mike Farmer in Erfoud, Morocco, but the suspected strewnfield is thought to be in Algeria (Bunch et al., 2008). Since then additional members have been found, including NWA 2986, 2987, 4766, 4783, 4857, 4864, 4878, 4880, 4930, 5140, 5214, 5219, 5313, and 5366 (Figures 2 to 6). Figure 2: Interior of NWA 2975 showing vesicular glass pockets and veins. Photo by Mike Farmer. Petrography According to Wittke et al. (2006), NWA 2975 is a fresh, medium-grained, subophitic to granular hypabyssal basalt with intergrown prismatic pyroxene and plagioclase grains up to 3 mm long (Figure 7). The hand specimen also exhibits vesicular black glass veins up to 3 mm wide and glass pockets up to 6 mm (Figure 2). -
Systematics and Evaluation of Meteorite Classification 19
Weisberg et al.: Systematics and Evaluation of Meteorite Classification 19 Systematics and Evaluation of Meteorite Classification Michael K. Weisberg Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York and American Museum of Natural History Timothy J. McCoy Smithsonian Institution Alexander N. Krot University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Classification of meteorites is largely based on their mineralogical and petrographic charac- teristics and their whole-rock chemical and O-isotopic compositions. According to the currently used classification scheme, meteorites are divided into chondrites, primitive achondrites, and achondrites. There are 15 chondrite groups, including 8 carbonaceous (CI, CM, CO, CV, CK, CR, CH, CB), 3 ordinary (H, L, LL), 2 enstatite (EH, EL), and R and K chondrites. Several chondrites cannot be assigned to the existing groups and may represent the first members of new groups. Some groups are subdivided into subgroups, which may have resulted from aster- oidal processing of a single group of meteorites. Each chondrite group is considered to have sampled a separate parent body. Some chondrite groups and ungrouped chondrites show chemi- cal and mineralogical similarities and are grouped together into clans. The significance of this higher order of classification remains poorly understood. The primitive achondrites include ureil- ites, acapulcoites, lodranites, winonaites, and silicate inclusions in IAB and IIICD irons and probably represent recrystallization or residues from a low-degree partial melting of chondritic materials. The genetic relationship between primitive achondrites and the existing groups of chondritic meteorites remains controversial. Achondrites resulted from a high degree of melt- ing of chondrites and include asteroidal (angrites, aubrites, howardites-diogenites-eucrites, mesosiderites, 3 groups of pallasites, 15 groups of irons plus many ungrouped irons) and plane- tary (martian, lunar) meteorites.