Shock‐induced thermal history of an EH3 chondrite,Asuka 10164

Shock‐induced features are abundantly observed in meteorites. Especially, shock veins, including high‐pressure minerals, characterize many kinds of heavily shocked meteorite. On the other hand, no high‐pressure phases have been yet reported from enstatite chondrites. We studied a heavily shocked EH3 chondrite, Asuka 10164, containing a vein, which comprises fragments of fine‐grained silicate and opaque minerals, and chondrules. In this vein, we found a silica polymorph, coesite. This is the first discovery of a high‐pressure phase in enstatite chondrites. Other high‐pressure polymorphs were not observed in the vein. The assemblages and chemical compositions of minerals, and the occurrence of coesite indicate that the vein was subjected to the high‐pressure and temperature condition at about 3–10 GPa and 1000 °C. The host also experienced heating for a short time under lower temperature conditions, from ~700 to ~1000 °C, based on the opaque minerals typical of EH chondrites and textural features. Although the pressure condition of the vein in this chondrite is much lower than those in the other meteorites, our results suggest that all major meteorite groups contain high‐pressure polymorphs. Heavy shock events commonly took place in the solar system.     

Tectonic incorporation of the upper part of oceanic crust to overriding plate of a convergent margin: An example from the Cretaceous–early Tertiary Mugi Mélange, the Shimanto Belt, Japan

A tectonic mélange exposed on land is examined to reveal relationships between mélange formation, underplating, and deformation mechanisms, focusing on the deformation of basaltic rocks. The studied Mugi Mélange of the Shimanto Belt is composed of a shale matrix surrounding various blocks of sandstone, pelagic sediments, and basalts. The mélange was formed during Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary times in a subduction zone under P–T conditions of 150–200 °C and 6–7 km depth as estimated from vitrinite reflectance and quartz veins fluid inclusions. The mélange represents a range of deformation mechanisms; pressure solution with micro-scale cataclasis in the shale matrix, brittle tension cracking in the blocks, and ubiquitous strong cataclasis in the basal portion of basaltic layers. The cataclastic deformation in the basalts suggests a breakage of a topographic high in the seismogenic depth.