Framboidal iron oxide: Chondrite-like material from the black mat, Murray Springs, Arizona
- University of Manitoba, Canada
- ORNL
At the end of the Pleistocene a Younger Dryas black mat was deposited on top of the Pleistocene sediments in many parts of North America. A study of the magnetic fraction (~10,900 50 B.P.) from the basal section of the black mat at Murray Springs, AZ revealed the presence of amorphous iron xide framboids in a glassy iron-silica matrix. These framboids are very similar in appearance and chemistry to those reported from several types of carbonaceous chondrites. The glass contains iron, silicon, oxygen, vanadium and minor titanium, while the framboidal particles contain calcium as well. The major element chemistry of both the spherules and the glass matrix are consistent with the chemistry of material associated with meteorite impact sites and meteorites. Electron microscopy confirms that the glassy material is indeed amorphous, and also shows that what appear to be individual oxide particles are amorphous as well. The latter appears consistent with their overall morphology that, while euhedral, typically shows significant fracture. Based on these data, we argue that these particles are the product of a hypervelocity impact.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1034024
- Journal Information:
- Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Vol. 319-320; ISSN 0012-821X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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