Yakutites: Are they impact diamonds from the Popigai crater?

• Published in: Lithos 2016-11, Vol.265, p.278-291
• Main Authors: Yelisseyev, A.P., Afanasiev, V.P., Panchenko, A.V., Gromilov, S.A., Kaichev, V.V., Saraev, А.А.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Composition; Impact diamond; Luminescence; Phases; Yakutite
• ISSN: 0024-4937; 1872-6143
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2016.07.031

Yakutites are coarse (up to 15mm or larger) aggregates dispersed for more than 500km around the Popigai meteorite crater. They share many features of similarity with impact diamonds found inside the crater, in elemental and phase compositions, texture, and optical properties as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and optical spectroscopy (Raman, absorption, luminescence and microscopic) studies. The N3 vibronic system appearing in the luminescence spectra of Popigai impact diamonds (PIDs) indicates a presence of nitrogen impurity and a high-temperature annealing of diamonds that remained in the crater after solid-phase conversion from graphite. Yakutites lack nitrogen-vacancy centers as signatures of annealing, which may indicate quenching at the time of ejection. Thus, both PIDs and yakutites originated during the Popigai impact event and yakutites were ejected to large distances. [Display omitted] •Carbon is the main element in yakutites and it presents in sp3 and sp2 states.•Main carbon phases in yakutites are diamond and lonsdaleite.•Optical properties of Popigai impact diamonds and yakutites are very similar.•Impact diamonds from the crater underwent high-temperature annealing in contrast to yakutites.•Yakutites are of impact origin and from the Popigai meteorite crater.