University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You w ill find ja good image o f the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., was part of the material being photographed the photographer followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large dieet and to continue photoing from left to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued again — beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding o f the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. 5. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as racpivnd. University Microfilms international 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road, Tyler's Green High Wycombe, Bucks, England HP10 8HR 77-21,370 DONOFRIO, Richard R., 1942- THE MAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT OF TEKTITES. The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1977 Geology XsrOX UniVBrSity Microfilnis,Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE THE MAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT OF TEKTITES A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GR/iDUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by RICHARD R. DONOFRIO Norman, Oklahoma 1977 PHE MAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT OF TEKTITES APPROVED BY f h'éyUé^ \ / < y yC ' / f DISSERTATION COmiTTEE THE MAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT OF TEKTITES TO DAD The last thing you said to me was to go back and finish up. This is for you. ill THE MAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT OF TEKTITES ABSTRACT Magnetic properties of tektites from the four strewn fields along with certain impact glasses were analyzed through paleomagnetic techniques and measured with highly sensitive superconducting magnetometers. The results revealed that tektites have a stable natural remanent magnetization arising from a thermo- remanent magnetism which was acquired at the time the glasses cooled through the blocking temperature of the ferromagnetic phase. Scanning electron microprobe studies in conjunction with thermal and alternating field demagnetization indicated that the magnetic carrier of the natural remanent magnetiza­ tion is magnetite on the sub-microscopic level. Based on the accumulated magnetic data, it was concluded that the natural remanent magnetization of tektites was reliable and could be used for ancient magnetic field estim­ ations. Paleointensity determinations on interior cores of IV ablated tektites, as well as other forms, demonstrated that tektites cooled in a field similar in amplitude to that of the earth. This data refutes the lunar hypothesis. In addition, on the basis of particular magnetic properties, the preliminary findings suggest that there may be a genetic relationship between certain strewn fields and large impact sites. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was conducted at the paleomagnetic laboratories of the University of Oklahoma, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The facilities of Superconducting Technology Inc., at Mountain View, California were also employed. I am grateful to these institutions for permitting me to use their equipment for the studies on tektites presented in this paper. Without the training I have received over the years from my advisor. Dr. Robert Dubois, this paper would not have been possible. He along with Dr. Virgil E. Barnes made this re­ search enjoyable and well worth the effort. I thank Dr. Robert Fowler of the OU physics department for his consideration and time in constructing the electrical discharge unit used in this research. Assistance was also rendered by Dr. Michael Fuller and Dr. Charles Helsey along with their respective paleomagnetic staffs. Appreciation is also extended to Dr. Dean Chapman, Mr. Leroy Scheiber, and Mr. Frank Centolanzi at Ames Research Center. I also express gratitude to Dr. Aurellio deGasparis for his comments. In addition to Dr. Dubois and Dr. Helsey, I thank the other members of the reading committee. Dr. Charles Harper, VI Dr. George Huffman, and Dr. Edward Stoever. Part of this research was made possible through National Aeronautics and Space Administration grant # NGR- 39 - Oil - 156. Vll CONTENTS Page DEDICATION .......................................... iii ABSTRACT ............................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................... vi CONTENTS ............................................. viii TABLES .............................................. xi FIGURES .............................................. xii PLATES .............................................. XV FOREWORD ............................................. xvii INTRODUCTION ........................................ 1 Purpose of Research .......................... 1 PREVIOUS MAGNETIC RESEARCH .......................... 3 LABORATORY PREPARATION .............................. 5 Source of Specimens .......................... 6 Contamination and Selection .................. Related Glasses .............................. 9 Sample Identification ........................ 10 INSTRUMENTATION ...................................... H The Superconducting Magnetometer .............. 11 O v e n s ........................................ 18 M a g n e t s ...................................... 18 Demagnetization Equipment .................... 20 Other Equipment .............................. 20 MEASUREMENT PROBLEMS ................................ 22 STABILITY OF TEKTITE NRM TO SHOCK .................... 25 THE SUSCEPTIBILITY MEASUREMENTS ...................... 40 P r o c e d u r e ..................... 42 Discussion of Susceptibility Data ............ 44 Impact Glasses ................................ 47 Applications of Susceptibility Data ............ 49 Microtektites .................................. 53 A Possible Formation Model .................... 54 Implications of Susceptibility and Intensity Data ................ 56 viii Page SUSCEPTIBILITY AND INTENSITY CHANGES ACROSS A TEKTITE . 58 SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SPECIMENS FROM THE MOLDAVITE STREVÏN FIELD . 62 ORIGIN OF THE NATURAL REMANENT MAGNETIZATION ............... 69 Isothermal Remanent Magnetization ................... 70 Partial Thermoremanent Magnetization ................ 79 Chemical and Viscous Remanent Magnetization ......... 80 Thermoremanent Magnetization......................... 81 PROPERTIES OF THE N R M ....................................... 83 Relationship of Carrier Size to N R M ................. 85 Tektite Demagnetization Curves ...................... 88 Estimation of Magnetic Carrier Sizes.................. 82 Impactite Demagnetization Curves ..................... 84 SATURATION STUDIES ........................ .............. Impactites......................................... Implications of Saturation Studies .................. CARRIER CHANGES IN OXIDIZING AND NON-OXIDIZING ENVIRONMENTS ........................ 114 THERMAL DEMAGNETIZATION AND SEM STUDIES ............... 121 Impact Glasses ........................ 131 SUMMARY OF RESULTS ................................... 134 THE QUESTION OF TEKTITE ORIGIN ............................ 136 Formation of Teardrop Tektites ...................... 139 Tektite Formation According to the Lunar Hypothesis. 141 Aerothermal Stress Shell ............................ 146 Strain Pattern ...................................... 148 Strain Effects on Synthetic and Natural Tektite Glass. 149 Selection of Cores ................................... 151 Preparation of Cores ................................ 153 Experimental Procedure .............................. 155 Estimation of the Paleointensity Field .............. 157 PALEOINTENSITY MEASUREMENTS ON OTHER TEKTITES............... 162 Australasian Tektites ........ ..... 162 Origin of Moldavites, Bediasites, and Ivory Coast Tektites........... 163 IX Page FORMATION MODELS ...................................... 166 CONCLUSIONS .......................................... 171 SELECTED REFERENCES .................................. 173 PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS .............................. 180 APPENDIX ................................................ 182 TABLES Table Page 1. Intensity changes after cleaning . .............. 8 2. Comparison of NRM before and after destructive tests ....................... 39 3. Typical magnetic properties
Recommended publications
  • Show Your Parents
    Show your parents Saxby and William Pridmore Show your parents is a series of short chapters aimed at helping children (under 12 years) master a little general knowledge and science. Some of this material may need input from an adult – some words and ideas may be a bit difficult. But, the need for a bit of adult/parent input is not a bad thing – such interaction between the generations may be helpful to both. See what you think. It is a not-for-profit endeavour. Editorial Board Rachel & Amelia Allan, Eve Porter, Layla Tanner, Dempsey & Isaac O’Neil, and Julia & Claude Glaetzer Dedicated to Helen Stephen [pictured] [William’s pre-school teacher; many thanks to Sarah Stephen for the photograph] Contents 1. Start here… 2. Here, pussy, pussy… 3. Bones 4. Space opportunity 5. Rainbows 6. Where is New Zealand? 7. The narwhal 8. Kangaroos, what they do… 9. Planets and volcanos 10. Optical illusions 11. First and surprising 12. The marsupials 13. Tree rings and things 14. Flowers and honey 15. Evolution and waterfalls 16. Catalogue 17. Magnets and unrelated 18. Cakes first 19. Take a breath 20. Dolphins and 21. Getting around 22. Geography special 23. Speak up 24. Going around 25. Dragon’s blood 26. Larry 27. More atoms 28. Flags 29. Moscow 30. Some carbon 31. More carbon 32. Photosynthesis 33. Pisa 34. Toes and energy 35. Water and energy 36. Craters 37. Animals, mainly 38. Old rocks Show your parents Chapter 1. [‘Show your parents’ is a series of short chapters aimed at helping children (with input from their parents) learn some stuff.
    [Show full text]
  • Cross-References ASTEROID IMPACT Definition and Introduction History of Impact Cratering Studies
    18 ASTEROID IMPACT Tedesco, E. F., Noah, P. V., Noah, M., and Price, S. D., 2002. The identification and confirmation of impact structures on supplemental IRAS minor planet survey. The Astronomical Earth were developed: (a) crater morphology, (b) geo- 123 – Journal, , 1056 1085. physical anomalies, (c) evidence for shock metamor- Tholen, D. J., and Barucci, M. A., 1989. Asteroid taxonomy. In Binzel, R. P., Gehrels, T., and Matthews, M. S. (eds.), phism, and (d) the presence of meteorites or geochemical Asteroids II. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, pp. 298–315. evidence for traces of the meteoritic projectile – of which Yeomans, D., and Baalke, R., 2009. Near Earth Object Program. only (c) and (d) can provide confirming evidence. Remote Available from World Wide Web: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ sensing, including morphological observations, as well programs. as geophysical studies, cannot provide confirming evi- dence – which requires the study of actual rock samples. Cross-references Impacts influenced the geological and biological evolu- tion of our own planet; the best known example is the link Albedo between the 200-km-diameter Chicxulub impact structure Asteroid Impact Asteroid Impact Mitigation in Mexico and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Under- Asteroid Impact Prediction standing impact structures, their formation processes, Torino Scale and their consequences should be of interest not only to Earth and planetary scientists, but also to society in general. ASTEROID IMPACT History of impact cratering studies In the geological sciences, it has only recently been recog- Christian Koeberl nized how important the process of impact cratering is on Natural History Museum, Vienna, Austria a planetary scale.
    [Show full text]
  • The Origin of the Circular K Anomalies at the Bosumtwi Impact Structure
    Large Meteorite Impacts VI 2019 (LPI Contrib. No. 2136) 5008.pdf THE ORIGIN OF THE CIRCULAR K ANOMALIES AT THE BOSUMTWI IMPACT STRUCTURE. C.A.B. Niang1,2,3, D. Baratoux3, D.P. Diallo1, R. Braucher4, P. Rochette4, C. Koeberl5, M.W. Jessell6, W.U. Reimold7, D. Boamah8, G. Faye9, M.S. Sapah10, O. Vanderhaeghe3, S. Bouley11. 1Département de Géologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal, [email protected], 2Institut Fon- damental d’Afrique Noire Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal. 3Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, University of Toulouse, CNRS & IRD, 14, Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France. 4Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences et de l’Environnement, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, CEREGE UM34, Aix en Provence, France, 5Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria, and Natural History Museum 1010 Vienna, Austria. 6Centre for Exploration Targeting, The University of Western Aus- tralia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. 7Institute of Geosciences, Laboratory of Geodynamics, Geochronology and Environmental Science, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil. 8Geological Survey Department, Accra, Ghana. 9Institut des Sciences de la Terre, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Sénégal.10Department of Earth Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. 11GEOPS - Géosciences Paris Sud, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Rue du Belvédère, Bât. 504-509, 91405 Orsay, France Introduction: Radiometric data are commonly to weathering, erosional and transport processes. Sev- used for geological mapping in mineral exploration, eral samples were also taken at surface and combined particularly in tropical regions where outcrop condi- with samples from shallow boreholes used for cosmo- tions are poor.
    [Show full text]
  • Terrestrial Impact Structures Provide the Only Ground Truth Against Which Computational and Experimental Results Can Be Com­ Pared
    Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 1987. 15:245-70 Copyright([;; /987 by Annual Reviews Inc. All rights reserved TERRESTRIAL IMI!ACT STRUCTURES ··- Richard A. F. Grieve Geophysics Division, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario KIA OY3, Canada INTRODUCTION Impact structures are the dominant landform on planets that have retained portions of their earliest crust. The present surface of the Earth, however, has comparatively few recognized impact structures. This is due to its relative youthfulness and the dynamic nature of the terrestrial geosphere, both of which serve to obscure and remove the impact record. Although not generally viewed as an important terrestrial (as opposed to planetary) geologic process, the role of impact in Earth evolution is now receiving mounting consideration. For example, large-scale impact events may hav~~ been responsible for such phenomena as the formation of the Earth's moon and certain mass extinctions in the biologic record. The importance of the terrestrial impact record is greater than the relatively small number of known structures would indicate. Impact is a highly transient, high-energy event. It is inherently difficult to study through experimentation because of the problem of scale. In addition, sophisticated finite-element code calculations of impact cratering are gen­ erally limited to relatively early-time phenomena as a result of high com­ putational costs. Terrestrial impact structures provide the only ground truth against which computational and experimental results can be com­ pared. These structures provide information on aspects of the third dimen­ sion, the pre- and postimpact distribution of target lithologies, and the nature of the lithologic and mineralogic changes produced by the passage of a shock wave.
    [Show full text]
  • NEW HIGH-PRECISION POTASSIUM ISOTOPES of TEKTITES. Y. Jiang1,2, H
    49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2083) 1311.pdf NEW HIGH-PRECISION POTASSIUM ISOTOPES OF TEKTITES. Y. Jiang1,2, H. Chen2, B. Fegley, Jr.2, K. Lodders2, W. Hsu3, S. B. Jacobsen4, K. Wang (王昆)2. 1CAS Key Laboratory of Planetary Sciences, Purple Moun- tain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences ([email protected]), 2Dept. Earth & Planetary Sciences and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis ([email protected]), 3Space Sci- ence Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, 4Dept. Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University. Introduction: Tektites are natural glassy objects crater of Hawaii (BHVO-1), are also analyzed. Hainan formed from the melting and rapid cooling of terrestri- Tektite is a typical splash-form tektite from Hainan al rocks during the high-energy impacts of meteorites, Island, China and of a dumbbell shape. We analyzed K comets, or asteroids upon the surface of the Earth [1]. isotopes of 15 chips along the longitudinal axis of its Chemical and isotopic compositions indicate that pre- profile, on a Neptune Plus MC-ICP-MS at Washington cursor components of tektites are the upper terrestrial University in St. Louis [14]. Except for Hainan tektite, continental crust, rather than extraterrestrial rocks. all other samples were only analyzed in bulk, with a Tektites are characterized by the depletion of volatile GV Instruments IsoProbe P MC-ICP-MS at Harvard elements and water, and heavy Cd, Sn, Zn and Cu iso- University following the description in [13]. K isotope topic compositions [2-5]. Since volatilities of elements compositions are reported using the per mil (‰) nota- 41 41 39 41 39 are defined by their 50% condensation temperature (Tc) tion, where δ K = ([( K/ K)sample/( K/ K)standard – of the solar nebula gas at 10-4 bars [6], there is no rea- 1]×1000).
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of Evidence for a Gulf of Tonkin Location for the Australasian Tektite Source Crater Aubrey Whymark* Consultant Wellsite Geologist, Manila, Philippines
    Thai Geoscience Journal 2(2), 2021, p. 1-29 1 Copyright © 2021 by the Department of Mineral Resources of Thailand ISSN-2730-2695; DOI-10.14456/tgj.2021.2 A review of evidence for a Gulf of Tonkin location for the Australasian tektite source crater Aubrey Whymark* Consultant Wellsite Geologist, Manila, Philippines. *Corresponding author: [email protected] Received 5 March 2021; Accepted 17 June 2021. Abstract Australasian tektites (AAT) occur across Southeast Asia, Australia, the Indian Ocean, and southwest Pacific Ocean. AAT form the youngest and most extensive major tektite strewn field. Unlike other tektite strewn fields, AAT have no known source crater. Review of the literature establishes that a single ~ 43 km post-impact diameter crater exists, possibly significantly enlarged by slumping. The obliquity of the impact that formed the AAT would result in a crater that is less pervasive in depth but with greater downrange shock effects and melt ejection. Multiple lines of evidence, historically viewed in isolation, were examined, concatenated, contextualized, and discussed. Tektite morpho- logy and distribution; microtektite regressions; geochemical considerations, comparisons, and iso- -concentration regressions; lithological characteristics; age of source rock; and regional geological considerations are reviewed. The source material is predicted to be an abnormally thick sequence of rapidly deposited, poorly compacted, deltaic to shallow marine, shales to clay-rich siltstones of early Pleistocene to Pliocene age. The impact likely occurred in a shallow marine environment. Forty- two maps of positive and negative parameters are presented and overlain. These indicate the AAT source crater probably lies in the central to northwestern Yinggehai - Song Hong Basin / Gulf of Tonkin.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hamburg Meteorite Fall: Fireball Trajectory, Orbit and Dynamics
    The Hamburg Meteorite Fall: Fireball trajectory, orbit and dynamics P.G. Brown1,2*, D. Vida3, D.E. Moser4, M. Granvik5,6, W.J. Koshak7, D. Chu8, J. Steckloff9,10, A. Licata11, S. Hariri12, J. Mason13, M. Mazur3, W. Cooke14, and Z. Krzeminski1 *Corresponding author email: [email protected] ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6130-7039 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada 2Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada 3Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada ( 4Jacobs Space Exploration Group, EV44/Meteoroid Environment Office, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 USA 5Department of Physics, P.O. Box 64, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland 6 Division of Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Kiruna, Box 848, S-98128, Sweden 7NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, ST11, Robert Cramer Research Hall, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA 8Chesapeake Aerospace LLC, Grasonville, MD 21638, USA 9Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA 10Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA 11Farmington Community Stargazers, Farmington Hills, MI, USA 12Department of Physics and Astronomy, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA 13Orchard Ridge Campus, Oakland Community College, Farmington Hills, MI, USA 14NASA Meteoroid Environment Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama 35812, USA Accepted to Meteoritics and Planetary Science, June 19, 2019 85 pages, 4 tables, 15 figures, 1 appendix. Original submission September, 2018. 1 Abstract The Hamburg (H4) meteorite fell on January 17, 2018 at 01:08 UT approximately 10km North of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 5: Shock Metamorphism and Impact Melting
    5. Shock Metamorphism and Impact Melting ❖❖❖ Shock-metamorphic products have become one of the diagnostic tools of impact cratering studies. They have become the main criteria used to identify structures of impact origin. They have also been used to map the distribution of shock-pressures throughout an impact target. The diverse styles of shock metamorphism include fracturing of crystals, formation of microcrystalline planes of glass through crystals, conversion of crystals to high-pressure polymorphs, conversion of crystals to glass without loss of textural integrity, conversion of crystals to melts that may or may not mix with melts from other crystals. Shock-metamorphism of target lithologies at the crater was first described by Barringer (1905, 1910) and Tilghman (1905), who recognized three different products. The first altered material they identified is rock flour, which they concluded was pulverized Coconino sandstone. Barringer observed that rock flour was composed of fragmented quartz crystals that were far smaller in size than the unaffected quartz grains in normal Coconino sandstone. Most of the pulverized silica he examined passed through a 200 mesh screen, indicating grain sizes <74 µm (0.074 mm), which is far smaller than the 0.2 mm average detrital grain size in normal Coconino (Table 2.1). Fairchild (1907) and Merrill (1908) also report a dramatic comminution of Coconino, although only 50% of Fairchild’s sample of rock flour passed through a 100 mesh screen, indicating grain sizes <149 µm. Heterogeneity of the rock flour is evident in areas where sandstone clasts survive within the rock flour. The rock flour is pervasive and a major component of the debris at the crater.
    [Show full text]
  • The 3D.Y Knom Example Is /1"<
    t Sixth International Congress on Glass - Washington, D. C., 1962. Fossil Glasses Produced by Inpact of Meteorites, Asteroids 2nd Possibly Comets with the Planet Xarth* A. J. Zzhen :&uon Insticute, Pittsburgh, ?ennsylvania (U. S. A. ) Sunnary / (to be trmslzted izto Frerzh and German) - i in recent thes one of the nost intriging aysteries of geGlogy has ceen the occurrence of aerodgnasicdly-shaped glasses on five continents of the earth. Tnese glasses mder discussion are obviously not of f-d- guritic origin. 3ecent research indicates that these glasses laom as tektites are the result of meteorite, esteroid, or sossibly comet hpact. Lqact glass?s, io generzl, differ Tram volcanic glasses in that they are lo;;.tr in ?,iater zontent, have laver gallium and germiun ccntents, and are rot necessarily ia mgnaticalljr unstable continental areas. These hpac- tites may be divided as follovs: (1)Glasses found in or near terrestrial neteorite craters. These glasses usually contain numerous s-,'nerules 02 nickel-iron, coesite, chunlks of partially melted meteoritic inatter and even stishovite. Shattered or fractured melted mi-nerals such as quarts are comxonly gresent. Aerodpaaic-shaping nay or nay not be present in this t-ne. &m?les are Canyon Diablo and Wabar Crster glasses. (2) Impzct- glasses zssociated with craters uitn no evidence of meteoritic mterial i? the @.ass or surrounding the explosisn site. The 3d.y knom example is /1"< Tnis vork vas supported by Xatiocal A-eroEautizs and Space P.dministretioq,$ 3esezrch Grant NsG-37-6O Supplement 1-62. Page 2 glass associated with AoueUoul Crater in the Western Sahara Desert.
    [Show full text]
  • EPSC2018-833, 2018 European Planetary Science Congress 2018 Eeuropeapn Planetarsy Science Ccongress C Author(S) 2018
    EPSC Abstracts Vol. 12, EPSC2018-833, 2018 European Planetary Science Congress 2018 EEuropeaPn PlanetarSy Science CCongress c Author(s) 2018 Impact melt boulder from northern Sweden from an unknown source Timmu Kreitsmann (1), Satu Hietala (2), Tapio Soukka (3), Jüri Plado (1), Jari Nenonen (2) and Lauri J. Pesonen (4) (1) Department of Geology, University of Tartu, Estonia ([email protected], [email protected]), (2) Geological Survey of Finland, Finland ([email protected], [email protected]), (3) Oulu Mining School, University of Oulu, Finland ([email protected]) (4) Solid Earth Geophysics Laboratory, Physics Department, University of Helsinki, Finland ([email protected]) Abstract We report an impact melt rock finding from northern Sweden, near the village of Kitkiöjärvi. There is no confirmed meteorite impact structure nearby, thus, the source is currently undiscovered. The impact origin of the finding was confirmed by the presence of planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz. 1. Introduction Impact cratering is a common and frequent process that affects the planetary surfaces across the solar system throughout geologic time. On Earth, there are 191 confirmed impact structures which are distributed unevenly around the globe. The Fennoscandian Shield houses around 10% of them. Here, we report an impact melt rock finding that originates from an unknown structure in northern Sweden. The semi-rounded impactite boulder, sized 10 × 7 cm, was found by Tapio Soukka in 2017 from a gravel pit at the western side of village Kitkiöjärvi (67°46'16"N 23°03'06"E; Fig. 1). Figure 1: Proven impact structures in Fennoscandia.
    [Show full text]
  • A Tomography Approach to Investigate Impactite Structure
    3rd International Conference on Tomography of Materials and Structures Lund, Sweden, 26-30 June 2017, ICTMS2017-110 A TOMOGRAPHY APPROACH TO INVESTIGATE IMPACTITE STRUCTURE A. Fedrigo*1,2, K. Marstal1,3, A. Bjorholm Dahl1, M. Lyksborg1, C. Gundlach1, M. Strobl2 & C. Bender Koch4 1Danish Technical University, Denmark 2European Spallation Source ESS ERIC, Sweden 3ERASMUS MC, Netherland 4Copenhagen University, Denmark Keywords: Neutron imaging, image registration, bimodal imaging, computed tomography. Summary: We investigate the structure of impactites from the Wabar iron meteorite impact site in Saudi Arabia. In order to understand the physical and chemical processes involved in the formation of the impactite, we applied a non-destructive investigation approach, which combines X-ray and neutron tomography. This bi-modal imaging method allowed for a better understanding of the impactite’s chemical composition. 1. INTRODUCTION Meteorite impacts have recently been recognised among the most important processes able to modify planetary surfaces. It also happens to be one of the least understood in details. In particular it is a challenge to understand both the extent of impacts and the physical and chemical changes that occur during and following the impact, where materials (e.g., rocks, sand, meteorite fragments, etc.) are subjected to temperatures of several thousands degrees and pressures of several GPa. In addition, most accessible Earth impact areas are highly affected by weathering, which causes extensive secondary chemical alterations. Iron meteorites impact on planetary surfaces cause shock-induced rock deformations that happens both at macroscopic and at microscopic level, e.g. shatter cones (macroscopic) and planar deformation features in quartz (microscopic). Another indicator often correlated to meteoritic impacts is the presence of iridium concentration anomalies [1, 2].
    [Show full text]
  • Investigating Possible Belize Tektites – Request of an Extended Database on Magnetic and Raman Spectroscopical Signature of Natural Glasses
    47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2016) 2482.pdf INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE BELIZE TEKTITES – REQUEST OF AN EXTENDED DATABASE ON MAGNETIC AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPICAL SIGNATURE OF NATURAL GLASSES. V.H. Hoffmann1,2, Kaliwoda M.3, Hochleitner R.3, M. Funaki4, M. Torii5. 1Faculty of Geosciences, Dep. Geo- and Envi- ronm. Sciences, Univ. Munich; 2Dep. Geosciences, Univ. Tuebingen, 3MSCM, Munich, Germany; 4Tokyo, Japan; 5Okayama, Japan. Introduction m (gr) MS (10-9 m3/kg) Log MS Since 1992 findings of possible tektite glasses have- Belize A 1.35 123.5 2.09 been reported from Tikal region, Guatemala, and later Belize 1 0.61 131.5 2.12 from Belize, here most likely in situ. Therefore the Belize 2 0.67 128.5 2.11 existence of a Central American tektite strewn field Belize 3 0.42 178.7 2.25 was proposed [1,2]. Ages of between 780 and 820 ± Belize 4 0.33 212.8 2.33 40 ka have been determined for Belize glasses [3-5]. The radiometric age constraints are indistinguishable Belize 5 0.53 168.3 2.23 from the ages of the Australite-Indochinite tektite Belize 6 0.52 195.4 2.29 strewn field (~770 ka). However, additional investiga- Belize 7 0.36 170.5 2.23 tions on Belize glasses reported different geochemical Belize 8 0.56 129.0 2.11 signatures in comparison to the Australite-Indochinite Range 123.5 – 212.8 2.09 – 2.33 tektites [6-10]. Pantasma structure in Nicaragua was Average 159.8 2.20 proposed as a possible impact crater [11].
    [Show full text]