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.     

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.     

Noble gases and nitrogen in Muong Nong tektites

Abstract— Three samples of Muong Nong tektites have been studied for N and noble gases. The isotopic composition of noble gases is airlike. The noble gas amounts are much higher in Muong Nong tektites than in splash-form tektites. As compared to air, He and Ne have been enriched, most likely due to inward diffuion from ambient air, subsequent to glass formation. Nitrogen contents range from 0.3 to 1.34 ppm, with a non-atmospheric δ¹⁵N ranging from 8 to 17%. The release pattern of δ¹⁵N clearly shows the presence of two N components. Higher N/³⁶Ar values than those of air, together with positive δ¹⁵N, show that a major portion of N in Muong Nong tektites is a remnant from the sedimentary source material.     

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.     

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.     

Anomalous Ne enrichments in tektites

Abstract— We measured noble gases and Ne isotopic compositions of five tektites collected from three different strewn fields. The elemental abundance patterns of noble gases in all samples show anomalous Ne enrichments relative to air. Ne isotopic compositions in tektites are in good agreement with that of atmospheric Ne, suggesting that Ne has diffused in from the atmosphere. It is conceivable that the high relative Ne abundance is essentially an equilibrium effect, i.e., storage of Ne in vesicles rather than the glass itself, facilitated by the relatively high diffusion coefficient of Ne.     

Laser fusion argon‐40/argon‐39 ages of Darwin impact glass

Abstract— Three samples of Darwin Glass, an impact glass found in Tasmania, Australia at the edge of the Australasian tektite strewn field were dated using the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar single‐grain laser fusion technique, yielding isochron ages of 796–815 ka with an overall weighted mean of 816 ± 7 ka. These data are statistically indistinguishable from those recently reported for the Australasian tektites from Southeast Asia and Australia (761–816 ka; with a mean weighted age of 803 ± 3 ka). However, considering the compositional and textural differences and the disparity from the presumed impact crater area for Australasian tektites, Darwin Glass is more likely to have resulted from a distinct impact during the same period of time.     

ELGYGYTGYN CRATER,SIBERIA: PROBABLE SOURCE OF AUSTRALASIAN TEKTITE FIELD (and Bediasites from Popigai)

Elgygytgyn crater (lat. 67–30 N, long. 172–00 E) in remote northeastern Siberia is proposed as the meteorite impact site from which the Australasian tektite strewnfield was splashed. The following points support this interpretation: 1, Elgygytgyn very likely is an impact crater and is of adequate size, 18 km across, to generate tektites; 2, the apex of the strewnfield points towards this crater; 3, the terrane is Mesozoic which fits the age of the tektite parental material from Sr/Rb data; 4, compositional and specific gravity lineations within the strewnfield are directed, in part, toward this crater; 5, the high velocity tektites, australites, are distal with respect to this crater while the low velocity tektites, splash forms and Muong Nong tektites, are proximal; 6, the loess deposits and mixed acid/basic rocks of the impact site provide a suitable subgraywacke-type source material; 7, the erosional state of Elgygytgyn suggests that its age may well be in accordance with that of the Australasian tektite event, i.e., 700,000 years.     

Noble gases in ureilites released by crushing

Abstract— Noble gases in two ureilites, Kenna and Allan Hills (ALH) 78019, were measured with two extraction methods: mechanical crushing in a vacuum and heating. Large amounts of noble gases were released by crushing, up to 26.5% of ¹³²Xe from ALH 78019 relative to the bulk concentration. Isotopic ratios of the crush‐released Ne of ALH 78019 resemble those of the trapped Ne components determined for some ureilites or terrestrial atmosphere, while the crush‐released He and Ne from Kenna are mostly cosmogenic. The crush‐released Xe of ALH 78019 and Kenna is similar in isotopic composition to Q gas, which indicates that the crush‐released noble gases are indigenous and not caused by contamination from terrestrial atmosphere. In contrast to the similarities in isotopic composition with the bulk samples, light elements in the crush‐released noble gases are depleted relative to Xe and distinct from those of each bulk sample. This depletion is prominent especially in the ²⁰Ne/¹³²Xe ratio of ALH 78019 and the ³⁶Ar/¹³²Xe ratio of Kenna. The values of measured ³He/²¹Ne for the gases released by crushing are significantly higher than those for heating‐released gases. This suggests that host phases of the crush‐released gases might be carbonaceous because cosmogenic Ne is produced mainly from elements with a mass number larger than Ne. Based on our optical microscopic observation, tabular‐foliated graphite is the major carbon mineral in ALH 78019, while Kenna contains abundant polycrystalline graphite aggregates and diamonds along with minor foliated graphite. There are many inclusions at the edge and within the interior of olivine grains that are reduced by carbonaceous material. Gaps can be seen at the boundary between carbonaceous material and silicates. Considering these petrologic and noble gas features, we infer that possible host phases of crush‐released noble gases are graphite, inclusions in reduction rims, and gaps between carbonaceous materials and silicates. The elemental ratios of noble gases released by crushing can be explained by fractionation, assuming that the starting noble gas composition is the same as that of amorphous carbon in ALH 78019. The crush‐released noble gases are the minor part of trapped noble gases in ureilites but could be an important clue to the thermal history of the ureilite parent body. Further investigation is needed to identify the host phases of the crush‐released noble gases.     

Australasian microtektites from Antarctica: XAS determination of the Fe oxidation state

The Fe oxidation state and coordination number of 29 impact glass spherules recently recovered from the Transantarctic Mountains (Antarctica) have been determined by X‐ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. Based on geochemical, isotopic, and fission track data, these spherules are considered as microtektites from the Australasian tektite/microtektite strewn field. Their find location is the farthest so far discovered from the possible source crater region, and their alkali content is the lowest compared with other published data on Australasian microtektite glasses. The Fe³⁺/(Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺) ratio, determined from the analysis of the pre‐edge peak energy position and integrated intensity, is below 0.1 (±0.04) for all the samples, and is comparable to that of most tektites and microtektites from the Australasian strewn field. Also, the pre‐edge peak integrated intensity, which is sensitive to the average Fe coordination geometry, is comparable to that of other Australasian microtektites reported in the literature. The agreement of the Fe oxidation state and coordination number, between the Transantarctic Mountain microtektites (TAM) and the Australasian tektites and microtektites, further confirms the impact origin of these glass spherules and provides an independent suggestion that they represent a major extension southeastward of the Australasian strewn field. The fact that similar redox conditions are observed in tektites and microtektites within the Australasian strewn field regardless of the distance from the source crater area (up to approximately 11000 km) could be an important constraint for better understanding the different processes affecting microtektite formation and transport. The fact that the Fe oxidation state of microtektites does not increase with distance, as in the case of North American microtektites, means that thermal and redox histories of Australasian and TAM microtektites could differ significantly from those of North American microtektites.     

Noble gas study of the Saratov L4 chondrite

Abstract– We have determined the elemental abundances and the isotopic compositions of noble gases in a bulk sample and an HF/HCl residue of the Saratov (L4) chondrite using stepwise heating. The Ar, Kr, and Xe concentrations in the HF/HCl residue are two orders of magnitude higher than those in the bulk sample, while He and Ne concentrations from both are comparable. The residue contains only a portion of the trapped heavy noble gases in Saratov; 40 ± 9% for ³⁶Ar, 58 ± 12% for ⁸⁴Kr, and 48 ± 10% for ¹³²Xe, respectively. The heavy noble gas elemental pattern in the dissolved fraction is similar to that in the residue but has high release temperatures. Xenon isotopic ratios of the HF/HCl residue indicate that there is no Xe‐HL in Saratov, but Ne isotopic ratios in the HF/HCl residue lie on a straight line connecting the cosmogenic component and a composition between Ne‐Q and Ne‐HL. This implies that the Ne isotopic composition of Q has been changed by incorporating Ne‐HL (Huss et al. 1996) or by being mass fractionated during the thermal metamorphism. However, it is most likely that the Ne‐Q in Saratov is intrinsically different from this component in other meteorites. The evidence of this is a lack of correlation between the isotopic ratio of Ne‐Q and petrologic types of meteorites (Busemann et al. 2000). A neutron capture effect was observed in the Kr isotopes, and this process also affected the ¹²⁸Xe/¹³²Xe ratio. The ³He and ²¹Ne exposure ages for the bulk sample are 33 and 35 Ma, respectively.     

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.     

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.     

Noble gases in metal and schreibersite of the Acuña (IIIAB) iron meteorite

Abstract— We measured abundances and isotopic compositions of noble gases in metal and schreibersite of the Acuña (IIIAB) iron meteorite. The concentrations of noble gases in Acuña metal are very low compared to those reported so far for other iron meteorites. The isotopic ratios of He, Ne and Ar indicate that they are mostly of cosmogenic origin. Cosmogenic components are even present in Kr and Xe, which could not have been produced from Fe, Ni and P and are probably due to the spallation of trace elements of higher masses. The high ⁴He/²¹Ne ratio of 420 in Acuña metal indicates that the samples were at a deep position within a very large meteoroid. The exposure ages of Acuña were estimated to be 50–200 Ma from ³He, ²¹Ne and ³⁸Ar abundances and by utilizing the diagrams of production rates vs. the ⁴He/²¹Ne ratio based on the Signer-Nier model. The low exposure age of Acuña may indicate a history different from that of other IIIAB irons whose exposure ages cluster at ～670 Ma. Otherwise, Acuña may be one of the samples with the low production rate, which can not be estimated from the diagrams of the Signer-Nier model.     

3‐D laser images of splash‐form tektites and their use in aerodynamic numerical simulations of tektite formation

Ten splash‐form tektites from the Australasian strewn field, with masses ranging from 21.20 to 175.00 g and exhibiting a variety of shapes (teardrop, ellipsoid, dumbbell, disk), have been imaged using a high‐resolution laser digitizer. Despite challenges due to the samples’ rounded shapes and pitted surfaces, the images were combined to create 3‐D tektite models, which captured surface features with a high fidelity (≈30 voxel mm^?2) and from which volume could be measured noninvasively. The laser‐derived density for the tektites averaged 2.41 ± 0.11 g cm^?3. Corresponding densities obtained via the Archimedean bead method averaged 2.36 ± 0.05 g cm^?3. In addition to their curational value, the 3‐D models can be used to calculate the tektites’ moments of inertia and rotation periods while in flight, as a probe of their formation environment. Typical tektite rotation periods are estimated to be on the order of 1 s. Numerical simulations of air flow around the models at Reynolds numbers ranging from 1 to 10⁶ suggest that the relative velocity of the tektites with respect to the air must have been <10 m s^?1 during viscous deformation. This low relative velocity is consistent with tektite material being carried along by expanding gases in the early time following the impact.     

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.     

Effects of experimental aqueous alteration on the abundances of argon‐rich noble gases in the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite

Abstract— Ar‐rich noble gases, the so‐called “subsolar” noble gases, are a major component of heavy primordial noble gases in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites and some classes of anhydrous carbonaceous chondrites, whereas they are almost absent in hydrous carbonaceous chondrites that suffered extensive aqueous alteration. To understand the effects of aqueous alteration on the abundance of Ar‐rich noble gases, we performed an aqueous alteration experiments on the Ningqiang type 3 carbonaceous chondrite that consists entirely of anhydrous minerals and contains Ar‐rich noble gases. Powdered samples and deionized neutral water were kept at 200 °C for 10 and 20 days, respectively. Mineralogical analyses show that, during the 10‐day alteration, serpentine and hematite formed at the expense of olivine, low‐Ca pyroxene, and sulfide. Noble gas analyses show that the 10‐day alteration of natural Ningqiang removed 79% of the primordial ³⁶Ar, 68% of the ⁸⁴Kr, and 60% of the ¹³²Xe, but only 45% of the ⁴He and 53% of the primordial ²⁰Ne. Calculated elemental ratios of the noble gases removed during the 10‐day alteration are in the range of those of Ar‐rich noble gases. These results indicate that Ar‐rich noble gases are located in materials that are very susceptible to aqueous alteration. In contrast, heavy primordial noble gases remaining in the altered samples are close to Q gas in elemental and isotope compositions. This indicates that phase Q is much more resistant to aqueous alteration than the host phases of Ar‐rich noble gases. In the 20‐day sample, the mineralogical and noble gas signatures are basically similar to those of the 10‐day sample, indicating that the loss of Ar‐rich noble gases was completed within the 10‐day alteration. Our results suggest that almost all of the Ar‐rich noble gases were lost from primitive asteroids during early, low‐temperature aqueous alteration.     

Krypton and xenon fractionation in North American tektites

Abstract— Elemental and isotopic compositions of the noble gases have been determined in six North American tektites (4 bediasites and 2 georgiaites) and one Ivory Coast tektite. Radiogenically produced ⁴He may explain the large ⁴He/³⁶Ar ratios measured relative to air, despite significant diffusive losses. The Ne isotopic composition is enriched in ²⁰Ne consistent with a single stage mass fractionation process. The enormous ²⁰Ne/³⁶Ar enrichments observed in all tektite samples, similar to those reported from other tektites and impact glasses, are attributed to atmospheric diffusion into the samples following solidification. The North American tektites show a systematic increase in ⁸⁴Kr/³⁶Ar and ¹³²Xe/³⁶Ar relative to air, with enrichments greater than those determined for any other tektite group or terrestrial samples other than shales. These enrichments are inconsistent with existing models of dissolving Kr and Xe in tektite glass without elemental fractionation at atmospheric pressures equivalent to ∼40 km altitude. The Kr and Xe isotopic compositions are indistinguishable from atmospheric within experimental uncertainty.     

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.     

Australasian minitektites discovered in the Indian Ocean

Abstract— Large area sampling with a box core in the Indian Ocean has led to the discovery of minitektites (>1–3.75 mm long) and a tektite fragment (～1.25 mm) occurring with microtektites belonging to the Australasian tektite strewn field. Minitektites and the microtektites are found to have similar major element compositions conforming to the Australasian tektite/microtektite chemistry. Earlier studies based on isotopic evidence, dating, and chemistry had provided evidence of a single large tektite strewn field; however, the physical association of tektites occurring with microtektites has been lacking. The present study provides such an association.