Shock effects in MgAl2O4-spinel

Shock recovery experiments on synthetic MgAl₂O₄-spinel samples in the pressure range 25.5 to 50.5 GPa have been performed in order to examine the effects of shock waves on this material. The shocked samples were subsequently studied in the transmission electron microscope. All samples showed shock-induced dislocations with the Burgers vector 1/2 〈110〉 and twin lamellae of the twin-law {111}. In addition, samples, which had experienced the higher pressures, showed lamellar areas of a crystalline phase that we have not yet been able fully to characterize. It is probably not ε-MgAl₂O₄.