Microtektites, Microkrystites, and Spinels From a Late Pliocene Asteroid Impact in the Southern Ocean

The properties of glassy spherules found in sedimentary deposits of a late Pliocene asteroid impact into the southeast Pacific are similar to those of both microtektites and microkrystites. These spherules probably formed from molten silicate droplets that condensed from an impact-generated vapor cl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1991-03, Vol.251 (5001), p.1594-1597
Main Authors: Margolis, Stanley V., Claeys, Philippe, Kyte, Frank T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asteroids
Chemical composition
Composition
Crystals
Datasets
Geology, Stratigraphic
Glass
Glass & glassware industry
HIV 1
Impact melts
Marine
Marine sediments
Meteors & meteorites
Olivine
Pliocene
Pliocene Epoch
RNA
Spinel
Spinel group
Stratigraphy
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Summary:The properties of glassy spherules found in sedimentary deposits of a late Pliocene asteroid impact into the southeast Pacific are similar to those of both microtektites and microkrystites. These spherules probably formed from molten silicate droplets that condensed from an impact-generated vapor cloud. The spherules contain inclusions of magnesioferrite spinels similar to those in spherules found at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, indicating that both sets of spherules are impact debris formed under similar physical and chemical conditions.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.251.5001.1594