Potassium isotopic composition of Australasian tektites

Abstract— We have analyzed the potassium isotopic composition of four tektites from the Australasian strewn field, spanning a wide diversity of thermal histories, inferred from textures and volatile element contents. Our results indicate no isotopic differences between tektites and terrestrial crustal rocks, placing stringent limits of ≤2% loss of potassium during the brief duration of high temperature heating experienced by these samples. This confirms that the chemical composition of tektites is entirely a reflection of source rock composition and has not been modified by the tektiteforming process for elements less volatile than potassium. Losses of more volatile components, e.g., the halogens and water, are not precluded by the present data. Coupling a radiative cooling temperature‐time path with potassium vapor pressure data indicates that tektite melt drops are not likely to develop bulk elemental fractionation during the brief heating episodes of tektites for peak temperatures <2273 K. The extent of K isotopic fractionation is independent of droplet size but dependent on peak heating temperature. The exact peak temperature depends on the choice of vapor pressure data used for K, which need to be better constrained.     

Triple oxygen isotope composition of Australasian tektites

Major and trace element analyses and triple oxygen isotope measurements were performed on 11 individual specimens of Australasian tektites (AAT) with exactly known field positions from Laos. The sample set was dominated by Muong Nong‐type tektites (MNAAT), including separated layers of glass of different appearance and chemistry from four samples. This first larger set of oxygen isotope data of MNAAT revealed the δ¹⁸O range 8.7 ≤ δ¹⁸O ≤ 11.6‰ on VSMOW2 scale (12 analyses), only slightly wider than the previously reported range for splash‐form AAT. The Δ’¹⁷O values of MNAAT (?0.098 ≤ Δ’¹⁷O ≤ ?0.069‰; 12 analyses) and splash‐form AAT (?0.080 ≤ Δ’¹⁷O ≤ ?0.068‰; three analyses) are all in the range of data typical for terrestrial crustal rocks, with no mass‐independent oxygen isotope fractionation (from impactor or from exchange with atmospheric O₂) being observed.     

Chemical variation within fragments of Australasian tektites

Abstract— In previous studies, intersample variation between compositions of different tektites from one particular group were studied and, in a few cases, major element variations within single tektites. No data for intra‐sample trace element variations existed. Thus, we sectioned a Muong Nong‐type tektite fragment from Vietnam and a splash‐form tektite fragment from the Philippines into eleven and six pieces, respectively, and analyzed the individual fragments for major and trace element contents. The compositions obtained agree well with those found in previous studies, supporting argument that tektites have been derived from terrestrial upper crustal sediments. Chemical variations within the tektite fragments are present, but do not show any systematic trends, probably reflecting incomplete mixing of parent rocks. The intra‐sample heterogeneity of the Muong Nong‐type tektite is more pronounced than that in the philippinite. For the Muong Nong‐type tektite, the intra‐sample variation in the trace element contents is higher than that for the major elements, again reflecting target rock properties. For the philippinite the intra‐sample variations mostly do not exceed the limits imposed by the precision of the analytical data, confirming that the splash form tektites are indeed well homogenized.     

Potassium isotope abundances in Australasian tektites and microtektites

Abstract— We report electron microprobe determinations of the elemental compositions of 11 Australasian layered tektites and 28 Australasian microtektites; and ion microprobe determinations of the ⁴¹K/³⁹K ratios of all 11 tektites and 13 of the microtektites. The elemental compositions agree well with literature values, although the average potassium concentrations measured here for microtektites, 1.1‐1.6 wt%, are lower than published average values, 1.9‐2.9 wt%. The potassium isotope abundances of the Australasian layered tektites vary little. The average value of ^δ41K, 0.02 ± 0.12%₀ (1 s? mean), is indistinguishable from the terrestrial value (= 0 by definition) as represented by our standard, thereby confirming four earlier tektite analyses of Humayun and Koeberl (2004). In agreement with those authors, we conclude that evaporation has significantly altered neither the isotopic nor the elemental composition of Australasian layered tektites for elements less volatile than potassium. Although the average ⁴¹K/³⁹K ratio of the microtektites, 1.1 ± 1.7%₀ (1 s? mean), is also statistically indistinguishable from the value for the standard, the individual ratios vary over a very large range, from ?10.6 ± 1.4%₀ to +13.8 ± 1.5%₀ and at least three of them are significantly different from zero. We interpret these larger variations in terms of the evaporation of isotopically light potassium; condensation of potassium in the vapor plume; partial or complete stirring and quenching of the melts; and the possible uptake of potassium from seawater. That the average ⁴¹K/³⁹K ratio of the microtektites equals the terrestrial value suggests that the microtektite‐forming system was compositionally closed with respect to potassium and less volatile elements. The possibility remains open that ⁴¹K/³⁹K ratios of microtektites vary systematically with location in the strewn field.     

Layered tektites of southeast Asia: Field studies in central Laos and Vietnam

Abstract— We have recovered 18 kg of layered tektites from 10 tektite-bearing localities in Laos and central Vietnam, including 5 localities around the town of Muong Nong (Laos). Several of these deposits originally contained several hundred kilograms of layered tektite fragments, and one fragmented mass may have been as large as 1000 kg. This is the largest single deposit of tektites yet reported. In this region, layered tektite fragments are found in isolated clusters usually associated with a pebbly laterite horizon that is 0–1 m below the surface. Near Khe Sanh, Vietnam, we estimate the abundance of layered tektite fragments to be ～100 g/m². This is greater than five times the abundance estimated for northeast Thailand (Fiske et al., 1996). In a region that extends from northeast Thailand, through central Laos, and into central Vietnam, we found only layered tektites, which confirmed the existence of a large (>50 000 km²) subfield of the Australasian strewn field with only layered tektites. The east-west extent of the “layered-only” subfield is well constrained, but little field data exist to constrain its north-south extent.     

Variation of chemical composition in Australasian tektites from different localities in Vietnam

Abstract— One hundred and thirteen Australasian tektites from Vietnam (Hanoi, Vinh, Dalat, and Saigon areas) were analyzed for their major and trace element contents. The tektites are either of splash form or Muong Nong‐type. The splash‐form tektites have SiO₂ contents ranging from 69.7 to 76.8 wt%, whereas Muong Nong‐type tektites, which are considerably larger than splash‐form tektites and have a blocky and chunky appearance, have slightly higher silica contents in the range of 74–81 wt%. Major‐element relationships, such as FeO versus major oxides, Na₂O versus K₂O, and oxide ratio plots, were used to distinguish the different groups of the tektites. In addition, correlation coefficients have been calculated for each tektite group of this study. Many chemical similarities are noted between Hanoi and Vinh tektites from the north of Vietnam, except that the Hanoi tektites contain higher contents of CaO than Vinh; the higher content of CaO might be due to some carbonate parent material. Both Dalat and Saigon tektites have nearly similar composition, whereas the bulk chemistries of the tektites from Hanoi and Vinh appear different from those of Saigon and Dalat. There are differences, especially in the lower CaO and Na₂O and higher MgO, FeO, for the tektites of Dalat and Saigon in comparison to that of Hanoi tektites. Furthermore, the Dalat and Saigon tektites show enrichments by factors of 3 and 2 for the Ni and Cr contents, respectively, compared to those of Hanoi and Vinh. The difference in chemistry between the North Vietnam tektites (Hanoi, Vinh) to that of South Vietnam tektites (Saigon, Dalat) of this study indicate that the parent material was heterogeneous and possibly mixing between different source rocks took place. Muong Nong‐type tektites are enriched in the volatile elements such as Br, Zn, As, and Sb compared to the average splash‐form tektites of this study. The chemical compositions of the average splash‐form and Muong Nong‐type tektites of this study closely resemble published data for average splash‐form and Muong Nong‐type indochinites, indicating that they have the same source. The trace element ratios Ba/Rb (2.7), Th/U (5.2), Th/Sc (1.3), Th/Sm (2.2), and the rare earth element (REE) abundances of this study show close similarities to those of average upper continental crust.     

Halogens in tektites and impact glasses

Abstract— Impact glasses, tektites and some related basement rocks were analyzed for F, Cl, Br and I. The tektite and impact glasses show similar abundance patterns within the groups. Muong Nong-type tektites indicate that the halogens have been depleted in the order I > Br > Cl > F in their melt under oxidizing conditions. For Darwin Glass selective volatilization of F from the melt is a major depleting process. Cl, Br and I are lost to a lesser extent.     

Mechanism of Muong Nong-type tektite formation and speculation on the source of Australasian tektites

Abstract The source crater of the youngest and largest of the tektite strewnfields, the Australasian strewnfield, has not been located. A number of lines of evidence indicate that the Muong Nong-type tektites, primarily found in Indochina, are more primitive than the much more abundant and widespread splash-form tektites, and are proximal to the source. In this study the spatial distribution of Muong Nong-type tektite sites and chemical character have been used to indicate the approximate location of the source. The variation of Muong Nong-type tektite chemical composition appears to be caused by mixing of two silicate rock end-members and a small amount of limestone, and not by vapor fractionation. The variation in composition is not random, and does not support in-situ melting or multiple impact theories. The distribution of both Muong Nong and splash-form tektite sites suggest the source is in a limited area near the southern part of the Thailand-Laos border.     

Water in tektites and impact glasses by fourier-transformed infrared spectrometry

Abstract— To improve the scarce data base of H₂O content in tektites and impact glasses, we analyzed 26 tektites from all four strewn fields and 25 impact glass samples for their H₂O content. We used the fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrometry method, which permits measurement of areas of ～40 μm in diameter. Our results show that the tektites have H₂O contents ranging from 0.002 to 0.030 wt% (average 0.014 ± 0.008 wt%). Ivory Coast tektites have the lowest H₂O abundances (0.002–0.003 wt%), and Muong Nong-type indochinites and some North American tektites having the highest contents (up to ～0.03 wt%). Impact glass samples (from the Zhamanshin, Aouelloul, and Rio Cuarto craters) yielded H₂O contents of 0.008 to 0.13 wt% H₂O. Typical impact glasses from the Aouelloul and Zhamanshin craters have low H₂O contents (0.008 to 0.063 wt%). Libyan Desert Glasses and Rio Cuarto glasses have higher H₂O contents (～0.11 wt%). We also analyzed glasses of unknown origin (e.g., urengoites; glass fragments from Tikal), which showed very low H₂O contents, in agreement with an origin by impact. Our data confirm that all tektites found on land have very low H₂O contents (<0.03 wt% H₂O), while impact glasses have slightly higher H₂O contents. Both glass types are very dry compared to volcanic glasses. This study confirms that the low H₂O contents (<0.05 wt%) of such glasses can be considered good evidence for an origin by impact.     

Ultraprecise age and formation temperature of the Australasian tektites constrained by 40Ar/39Ar analyses

The Australasian tektites are quench melt glass ejecta particles distributed over the Asian, Australian, and Antarctic regions, the source crater of which is currently elusive. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age data from four tektites: one each from Thailand, China, Vietnam, and Australia measured using three different instruments from two different laboratories and combined with published ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data yield a weighted mean age of 788.1 ± 2.8 ka (±3.0 ka, including all sources of uncertainties) (P = 0.54). This age is five times more precise compared to previous results thanks, in part, to the multicollection capabilities of the ARGUS VI noble gas mass spectrometer, which allows an improvement of almost fourfold on a single plateau age measurement. Diffusion experiments on tektites combined with synthetic age spectra and Monte Carlo diffusion models suggest that the minimum temperature of formation of the Thai tektite is between 2350 °C and 3950 °C, hence a strict minimum value of 2350 °C.     

Fluorine and boron geochemistry of tektites,impact glasses,and target rocks

Abstract— We have analyzed fluorine and boron in nine tektites from all four strewn fields, and in a suite of impact glasses and target rocks from the Zhamanshin and Darwin impact craters, as well as Libyan Desert Glass and Aouelloul impact glass samples. Fluorine and boron are useful indicators for the volatilization and temperature history of tektites and impact glasses. Tektites from different strewn fields show a limited range of F and B contents and have F/B ratios near unity. Most splash-form tektites have lower average F and B contents than Muong Nong type tektites, which is similar to the relation between irghizites and zhamanshinites. The F and B contents in target rocks from the Zhamanshin and Darwin impact craters are similar to normal terrestrial sediments. Fluorine in impact glasses and tektites is more depleted compared to their (known or inferred) target rocks than is boron, which is caused by the higher volatility of F. The F/B ratios therefore decrease with increasing temperature of formation (suggesting that irghizites were formed at a higher temperature than zhamanshinites, and Muong Nong type tektites at a lower temperature than splash-form tektites). Mixing of local country rocks together with partial loss of the volatiles F and B can reproduce the F and B contents of impact glasses.     

Two layers of Australasian impact ejecta in the Indian Ocean?

Abstract— Only 2 Australasian tektites have been found in the Indian Ocean, and both are associated with surficial sediments. We collected cores from both locations where the tektites have been reported. The microtektites in these cores (and both the tektites, as reported earlier) have chemical compositions within the compositional range previously reported for Australasian tektites and microtektites. In both locations, while the tektites are occurring at the sediment/water interface, the microtektites are found buried in older horizons beneath the seafloor at stratigraphic levels, conforming to the radiometric age of the strewn field. Thus, at first glance, there appear to be 2 layers of Australasian impact ejecta in the Indian Ocean. However, the manganese nodules are associated with the tektites which, although millions of years old, are invariably resting on recent sediments. Therefore, the mechanism that retains nodules at the seafloor also seems to be operative on the tektites, thus leading to this apparent “age paradox” of tektite/microtektite distribution in the Indian Ocean, although they both belong to the same impact event.     

Ash Shutbah: A possible impact structure in Saudi Arabia

We have investigated the Ash Shutbah circular structure in central Saudi Arabia (21°37′N 45°39′E) using satellite imagery, field mapping, thin‐section petrography, and X‐ray diffraction of collected samples. The approximately 2.1 km sized structure located in flat‐lying Jurassic Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone has been nearly peneplained by erosional processes. Satellite and structural data show a central area consisting of Dhruma Formation sandstones with steep bedding and tight folds plunging radially outward. Open folding occurs in displaced, younger Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone Formation blocks surrounding the central area, but is absent outside the circular structure. An approximately 60 cm thick, unique folded and disrupted orthoquartzitic sandstone marker bed occurring in the central area of the structure is found 140 m deeper in undisturbed escarpment outcrops located a few hundred meters west of the structure. With exception of a possible concave shatter cone found in the orthoquartzite of the central area, other diagnostic shock features are lacking. Some quartz‐rich sandstones from the central area show pervasive fracturing of quartz grains with common concussion fractures. This deformation was followed by an event of quartz dissolution and calcite precipitation consistent with local sea‐ or groundwater heating. The combination of central stratigraphic uplift of 140 m, concussion features in discolored sandstone, outward‐dipping concentric folds in the central area, deformation restricted to the rocks of the ring structure, a complex circular structure of 2.1 km diameter that appears broadly consistent with what one would expect from an impact structure in sedimentary targets, and a possible shatter cone all point to an impact origin of the Ash Shutbah structure. In fact, the Ash Shutbah structure appears to be a textbook example of an eroded, complex impact crater located in flat‐lying sedimentary rocks, where the undisturbed stratigraphic section can be studied in escarpment outcrops in the vicinity of the structure.     

Origin of tektites: Constraints from heavy noble gas concentrations

Abstract— Heavy noble gas concentrations in tektites (splash-form type) are considerably lower than those in impact glasses. This can not be explained only by high formation temperatures for tektites, as might be expected from low concentrations of water and most volatile elements in tektites, and indicates that tektites solidified in an atmosphere with an ambient pressure of much less than 1 atm. The heavy noble gas concentrations may be an indicator of the height to which tektites were carried by the impact before they solidified.     

Investigating the response of biotite to impact metamorphism: Examples from the Steen River impact structure,Canada

Impact metamorphic effects from quartz and feldspar and to a lesser extent olivine and pyroxene have been studied in detail. Comparatively, studies documenting shock effects in other minerals, such as double chain inosilicates, phyllosilicates, carbonates, and sulfates, are lacking. In this study, we investigate impact metamorphism recorded in crystalline basement rocks from the Steen River impact structure (SRIS), a 25 km diameter complex crater in NW Alberta, Canada. An array of advanced analytical techniques was used to characterize the breakdown of biotite in two distinct settings: along the margins of localized regions of shock melting and within granitic target rocks entrained as clasts in a breccia. In response to elevated temperature gradients along shock vein margins, biotite transformed at high pressure to an almandine-Ca/Fe majorite-rich garnet with a density of 4.2 g cm⁻³. The shock-produced garnets are poikilitic, with oxide and silicate glass inclusions. Areas interstitial to garnets are vesiculated, in support of models for the formation of shock veins via oscillatory slip, with deformation continuing during pressure release. Biotite within granitic clasts entrained within the hot breccia matrix thermally decomposed at ambient pressure to produce a fine-grained mineral assemblage of orthopyroxene + sanidine + titanomagnetite. These minerals are aligned to the (001) cleavage plane of the original crystal. In this and previous work, the transformation of an inosilicate (pargasite) and a phyllosilicate (biotite) to form garnet, an easily identifiable, robust mineral, has been documented. We contend that in deeply eroded astroblemes, high-pressure minerals that form within or in the environs of shock veins may serve as one of the possibly few surviving indicators of impact metamorphism.     

Lechatelierite inclusions in indochinites and the origin of tektites

Abstract— The grain size distribution and shapes of lechatelierite inclusions (silica glass inclusions) have been determined from 20 splash-form tektites from the Khorat Plateau, northeastern Thailand. The chemical and petrographic properties are reviewed, and the absence of any type of inclusion other than bubbles is confirmed. These data suggest that the parent material for the lechatelierite inclusions is not the conventional detrital quartz. One possible precursor is silica of plant origin in the form of biogenic opal-CT. According to this model, the lechatelierite inclusions are formed by shock melting of opal phytoliths in plants. These opal phytolith melts were included in the shock-melted soil and bedrock, jetted from the impact site. The expansion of the vapor plume ejected the melt droplets in ballistic trajectories. This model is extended to all tektite groups, because of the similarity between lechatelierite inclusions in them.     

The fate of moderately volatile elements in impact events—Lithium connection between the Ries sediments and central European tektites

Lithium abundances and isotope compositions are presented for a suite of sediments from the surroundings of the Ries Impact structure, paralleled by new Li data for central European tektites (moldavites) from several substrewn fields (South Bohemia, Moravia, Cheb Basin, Lusatia), including a specimen from the newly discovered substrewn field in Poland. The data set was supplemented by three clay fractions isolated from sedimentary samples. Moldavites measured in this study show a very narrow range in δ⁷Li values (?0.6 to 0.3‰ relative to L‐SVEC) and Li contents (23.9–48.1 ppm). This contrasts with sediments from the Ries area which show remarkable range in Li isotope compositions (from ?6.9 to 13.4‰) and Li contents (0.6–256 ppm). The OSM sediments which, based on chemical similarity, formed the major part of moldavites, show a range in δ⁷Li values from ?2.0 to 7.9‰ and Li contents from 5.8 to 78.9 ppm. Therefore, the formation of moldavites was apparently accompanied by large‐scale mixing, paralleled by chemical and isotope homogenization of their parent matter. The proposed Li mixing model indicates that sands, clayey sediments, and low volumes of carbonates are the major components for tektite formation whereas residual paleokarst sediments could have been a minor but important component for a subset of moldavites. Striking homogenization of Li in tektites, combined with limited Li loss during impacts, may suggest that moderately volatile elements are not scavenged and isotopically fractionated during large‐scale collisions, which is consistent with recent models. In general, whether homogenization of bodies with distinct Li isotope systematics takes place, or collision of bodies with similar Li systematics operates cannot be resolved at present stage but Li isotope homogeneity of solar system planets and asteroidal bodies tentatively implies the latter.     

The chemical variation of moldavite tektites: Simple mixing of terrestrial sediments

Abstract— To test different hypotheses of moldavite formation, a major and trace-element study of 25 moldavite tektites and Sm-Nd isotope measurement of three moldavite tektites was completed. The samples were selected from the classical substrewnfields and the newly described locations in Lusatia (Saxony, Germany). Samples with unusual bulk composition were also included. The results confirm earlier studies that the variation in the chemical composition can be explained by single impact and through incomplete mixing of at least three lithographical components dominated by one of the three minerals or mineral groups: dolomite, clay minerals and quartz. An additional endmember, possibly a rare Earth's mantle component, containing high Co, Cr and Ni concentrations is also needed to explain the observed variations in compatible elements of some tektites. Volatile element abundances are low but not necessarily the result of selective volatilization.     

40Ar‐39Ar step‐heating of impact glasses from the Nördlinger Ries impact crater—Implications on excess argon in impact melts and tektites

Seven impact melts from various places in the Nördlinger Ries were dated by ⁴⁰Ar‐³⁹Ar step‐heating. The aim of these measurements was to increase the age data base for Ries impact glasses directly from the Ries crater, because there is only one Ar‐Ar step‐heating spectrum available in the literature. Almost all samples display saddle‐shaped age spectra, indicating the presence of excess argon in most Ries glass samples, most probably inherited argon from incompletely degassed melt and possibly also excess argon incorporated during cooling from adjacent phases. In contrast, moldavites usually contain no inherited argon, probably due to their different formation process implying solidification during ballistic transport. The plateau age of the only flat spectrum is 14.60 ± 0.16 (0.20) Ma (2σ), while the total age of this sample is 14.86 ± 0.20 (0.22) Ma (isochron age: 14.72 ± 0.18 [0.22] Ma [2σ]), proofing the chronological relationship of the Ries impact and moldavites. The total ages of the other samples range between 15.77 ± 0.52 and 20.4 ± 1.0 Ma (2σ), implying approximately 2–40% excess ⁴⁰Ar (compared to the nominal age of the Ries crater) in respective samples. Thus, the age of 14.60 ± 0.16 (0.20) (2σ) (14.75 ± 0.16 [0.20 Ma] [2σ], calculated using the most recent suggestions for the K decay constants) can be considered as reliable and is within uncertainties indistinguishable from the most recent compilation for the age of the moldavite tektites.     

Distribution of noble gases in Chinese tektites: Implication for neon solubility in natural glasses

Abstract— Five indochinites from Hainan Island and the Leizhou Peninsula, China were analyzed for noble gas abundances and isotopic ratios. These splash‐form tektites show vesiculation ranging from 0.4 vol% to 8 vol%, as determined by digital image analysis (software SXM®) on thin section photographs. To study the distribution of noble gases in vesicles and in glass, the gases were extracted by heating and by crushing, respectively, on 2 aliquots of the same sample. The results show that 5 to 53% of the total measured ²⁰Ne resides in vesicles. The calculated concentration of neon dissolved in the glass is higher (0.7‐1 times 10^?7 cm³STP/g) than that expected from solubility equilibrium (1 times 10^?8 cm³STP/g), assuming solubility data from MORB glasses. The neon concentration of splash‐form tektites, those analyzed in this work and those from other strewn‐fields worldwide, is correlated with the SiO₂ content of glass and with the nonbridging oxygen per tetrahedral cation in the melt (hereafter NBO/T ratio), the latter being an index of the free‐volume in the silica network where neon could be dissolved. These correlations suggest that the glass structure of tektite has a larger free‐volume available for dissolving noble gases than MORB glasses.