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Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017) 2557.pdf

SHOCK-GENERATED POLYMORPHS IN TERRESTRIAL IMPACT ROCKS AT MANICOUAGAN S. Boonsue and J. G. Spray, Planetary and Space Science Centre, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada. [email protected], [email protected]

Introduction: A characteristic of strong shock transmisston electron (TEM) analysis. The waves is their ability to transform the structural state of diffraction patterns of the mono-labradorite grains are a given during the contact/compression stage comparable to the lattice planes of a monoclinic of crater formation. This study characterizes the with C2/c symmetry (Figure 3a). The mono- chemistry and structure of , and reveals the labradorite cell parameters are a = 9.45 Å, b = 8.594 Å, high pressure – high temperature behavior of poly- c = 5.233 Å,  = 90,  = 107.57 and  = 90, with a 3 morphs in the NaAlSi3O8-CaAl2Si2O8 system. We re- calculated density of 3.34 g/cm . The observed reflec- port here the of two new natural occurrences of tions deteremined by synchrotron X-ray diffraction shock-generated polymorphs in the form of monoclin- analysis were derived from a mixture of phases adja- ic- and tetragonal-structured plagioclase of labradorite cent to and within the SMV; including , amor- (An58) composition. The plagioclase polymorphs are phous material, triclinic- and mono-labradorite. In ad- dition, the EBSD and SAED patterns of the nano- developed in shock veins pervading from tabular of tetra-labradorite can be unambigu- the central uplift of the Manicouagan impact structure, ously indexed in terms of the tetragonal hollandite Canada. The study provides information that helps us structure I4/m symmetry, with cell parameters a = 9.31 understand shock conditions of plagioclase polymorph Å, b = 9.31 Å c = 2.72 Å,  = 90,  = 90 and  = 90, formation in a natural terrestrial target body. respectively (Figure 3b). The corresponding density is An58 polymorphs: Photomicrographs and sec- 3 3.82 g/cm . The tetragonal (NaCa)(Al,Si)4O8- ondary (SE) and back-scattered electron (BSE) images labradorite has similar crystal structure to the reveal that in the shocked anorthosite, plagioclase with hollandite found in shock veins of the Sixiangkou L6 planar fractures (PF) and planar deformation features [2, 3]. (PDFs) occurs adjacent to zones of comminution and The close relationship, both in spatial occurrence shock-generated melt veins (SMV) (Figures 1 and 2). and chemical composition, between normal triclinic Clusters of subhedral to euhedral, short rectangular labradorite, PDF-bearing labradorite and mono- micrograins (<1 to 2-5 m) of monoclinic labradorite labradorite within the vicinity of SMVs, as well as a occur in the comminution zones and near SMVs (Fig- well defined crystal structure of the polymorph, to- ure 2). In addition, tetragonal labradorite as nano- gether suggest that mono-labradorite is a newly identi- prismatic/tabular crystallites (<0.2 x ~5 m) is devel- fied polymorph. We believe it is generated as a result oped as interstitial crystals between micro-grains of of shock-induced displacive transformation of the mono-labradorite in closer proximity to and within crushed host rock labradorite triclinic C1̅ - monoclinic SMVs. Energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry reveals C2/c high pressure phase transition. In highly frag- that both the mono- and tetra-labradorite have a com- mented zones, mono-labradorite displays a residual position equivalent to that of the host rock labradorite, thermal stress feature as resorbed grain margins and/or with an An content of 54-58 (Ab43An56Or1). Further- shredded edges, with strings of nano-prismatic crystals more, within the in the center of SMVs, submi- of tetra-labradorite (Figures 2b and c). The occurrence cron crystallites of the labradorite polymorphs coexist of the neo-crystallites between mono-labradorite sug- with stishovite. gests that localized heating induced melting at grain Raman spectra of pristine host rock plagioclase and boundaries and initiated crystallization of tetra- shocked plagioclase with PDFs display similar intense labradorite from a labradorite melt. This study inter- Raman bands of triclinic labradorite at 480 and 510 prets that the labradorite polymorphs in the Manicoua- -1 cm . The mono-labradorite fragments display distinct gan anorthosite were formed due to shock compres- Raman bands at 372-378, 694-696, 904-914, and 997- sion, high pressure compaction and hot isostatic press- -1 1030 cm , with low intensity at 285, 424, 490, 520- ing within the shock-induced fractured zones and -1 524, 620, 639, 853 cm , corresponding to the Raman shock melt veins. The coexistence of natural occur- spectrum of a crystal structure analogous to C2/c mon- rences of high pressure – high temperature phase as- oclinic jadeite [1]. The of the labrador- semblages, mono- and tetra-labradorite with stishovite, ite polymorphs was further examined by Electron and the absence of a ferrite-structured phase Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) attached to the field sets an upper bound for local shock conditions in the emission scannining electron microscope, and via se- highly comminuted zones to P >19-25 GPa and T lected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns via Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017) 2557.pdf

~2400-2500 oC [4, 5, 6]. The mono- and tetra- labradorite are new natural occurrences of high pres- sure and high temperature polymorphs in the Ab-An system. The discovery is one of a few findings of such within a terrestrial impact crater.

References: [1] Yang et al., (2009) Am. Mineral. 94, 942-949. [2] Chen M. et al. (2000) European Journal Min. 12: p30. [3] Gillet P. (2000) Science. 287: 1633- 1636. [4] Langenhorst F. and Poirier J.P. (2000) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 176: 259-265. [5] Liu X. (2006) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 246: 317-325. [6] Agarwal A. et al. (2016) Sci. Rep. DOI:10.1028/erep25991

Figure 1. Photomicrograph of shock-induced melt vein under plane polarized light displaying vein structure

and margins, and plagioclase polymorph occurrences Figure 3 EBSD and SAED-TEM diffraction patterns (m-lab = monoclinic labradorite; t-lab = tetragonal reveal that the two polymorphs have monoclinic crys- labradorite; SMV = shock-induced melt vein). tal structure with C2/c symmetry (a), and tetragonal crystal structure with I4/m symmetry (b), respectively.

Figure 2. SE images showing cluster of mono- Figure 4. SE and BSE images of mono-labradorite (m- labradorite (m-lab) and bright contrast tetra-labradorite lab) and tetra-labradorite (t-lab) displaying intra- (t-lab, black arrows) fragements within highly frac- granular fractures and high temperature features (duc- tured zones. Note amorphous phase between minerals tile edges). Strings of submicron prismatic crystals of as interstitial glass (Gls). t-lab (b and c) are attached to the rims of m-lab grains.