Oxygen isotope constraints on the origin of impact glasses from the cretaceous-tertiary boundary

Journal Article · Fri Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.257.5073.1104· OSTI ID:7262254

Blum, J D; Chamberlain, C P ^[1]

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1. Dartmouth Coll, Hanover, NH (United States)

Laser-extraction oxygen isotope and major element analyses of individual glass spherules from Haitian Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments demonstrate that the glasses fall on a mixing line between an isotopically heavy ({delta}{sup 18}O = 14 per mil) high-calcium composition and an isotopically light ({delta}{sup 18}O = 6 per mil) high-silicon composition. This trend can be explained by melting of heterogeneous source rocks during the impact of an asteroid (or comet) {approximately}65 million years ago. The data indicate that the glasses are a mixture of carbonate and silicate rocks and exclude derivation of the glasses either by volcanic processes or as mixtures of sulfate-high evaporate and silicate rocks.

• OSTI ID: 7262254
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 257:5073; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
GLASS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
SEDIMENTS
CONTAMINATION
ASTEROIDS
BOUNDARY LAYERS
CARBONATES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
GEOCHEMISTRY
HAITI
OXYGEN 18
SILICATES
SULFATES
TEKTITES
TERTIARY PERIOD
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GREATER ANTILLES
HISPANIOLA
ISLANDS
ISOTOPES
LATIN AMERICA
LAYERS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MESOZOIC ERA
NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN ISOTOPES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
WEST INDIES
580000* - Geosciences
540110
290301 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
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& Safety- Regional & Global Environmental Aspects- (1992-)