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NASA NTRS1988

Oxidation state in chondrites

An evaluation is made of extant data on chondrite oxidation states and intrinsic O fugacities. A variety of oxidation states are exhibited by the chondritic meteorites; petrologic and chemical data may be used to arrange the major chondrite groups in order of oxidation state. The intrinsic O fugacity measurements on chondrite whole-rock samples are noted to display a corresponding ordering of oxidation states. Metamorphosed chondrites and igneous meteorites that were substantially altered by metamorphic reactions, outgassing, and igneous processes may preserve information on the oxidation state and size of their parent bodies.

Rubin, Alan E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Petrography of shock features in the 1953 Manson 2-A drill core

Drilling of Nx core in late 1953 into an anomalous zone of disturbed rocks northwest of Manson, Iowa disclosed presence of extensive breccias including crystalline rocks brought to the surface from depths of 4 km or more. Hole 2-A penetrated breccias dominated by leucocratic igneous and metamorphic lithologies, later interpreted to be part of a general ringed peak complex within a 35 km wide impact structure produced about 65 Ma ago. Proof of this origin was given in 1966 by NMS through recognition of shock metamorphic features in 2-A materials during a cursory examination of samples provided by R.A. Hoppin, University of Iowa. A detailed study of this material now underway has revealed that most breccia clasts in 2-A show abundant and varied evidence of shock damage, including extensive planar deformation features (PDF) in quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, and a pyroxene and varying degrees of isotropization and incipient melting in feldspars.

Short, N. M.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Shock Deformation in Zircon, a Comparison of Results from Shock-Reverberation and Single-Shock Experiments

The utility of the mineral zircon, ZrSiO4, as a shock-metamorphic geobarometer and geochronometer, has been steadily growing within the planetary science community. Zircon is an accessory phase found in many terrestrial rock types, lunar samples, lunar meteorites, martian meteorites and various other achondrites. Because zircon is refractory and has a high closure temperature for Pb diffusion, it has been used to determine the ages of some of the oldest material on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System. Furthermore, major (O) and trace-element (REE, Ti, Hf) abundances and isotope compositions of zircon help characterize the petrogenetic environments and sources from which they crystallized. The response of zircon to impact-induced shock deformation is predominantly crystallographic, including dislocation creep and the formation of planar and sub-planar, low-angle grain boundaries; the formation of mechanical {112} twins; transformation to the high pressure polymorph reidite; the development of polycrystalline microtextures; and dissociation to the oxide constituents SiO2 and ZrO2. Shock microstructures can also variably affect the U- Pb isotope systematics of zircon and, in some instances, be used to constrain the impact age. While numerous studies have characterized shock deformation in zircon recovered from a variety of terrestrial impact craters and ejecta deposits and Apollo samples, experimental studies of shock deformation in zircon are limited to a handful of examples in the literature. In addition, the formation conditions (e.g., P, T) of various shock microstructures, such as planar-deformation bands, twins, and reidite lamellae, remain poorly con-strained. Furthermore, previous shocked-zircon experimental charges have not been analyzed using modern analytical equipment. This study will therefore under-take an new set of zircon shock experiments, which will then be microstructurally characterized using state-of-the-art instrumentation within the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division (ARES), NASA Johnson Space Center.

Erickon, T. M.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Shatter cones formed in large-scale experimental explosion craters

In 1968, a series of 0.5-ton and 100-ton TNT explosion experiments were conducted in granitic rock near Cedar City, Utah, as part of a basic research program on cratering and shock wave propagation. Of special interest was the formation of an important type of shock metamorphic feature, shatter cones. A description is presented of the first reported occurrence of shatter cones in high explosion trials. A background to shatter cone studies is presented and attention is given to the test program, geology and physical properties of the test medium, the observed cratering, and the formational pressures for shatter cones. The high explosion trials conducted demonstrate beyond any doubt, that shatter cones can be formed by shock wave processes during cratering and that average formational pressures in these crystalline rocks are in the 20-60 kb range.

Roddy, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Comparison of Archean and Phanerozoic granulites: Southern India and North American Appalachians

Archean granulites at the southern end of the Dharwar craton of India and Phanerozoic granulites in the southern Appalachians of North America share an important characteristic: both show continuous transitions from amphibolite facies rocks to higher grade. This property is highly unusual for granulite terranes, which commonly are bounded by major shears or thrusts. These two terranes thus offer an ideal opportunity to compare petrogenetic models for deep crustal rocks formed in different time periods, which conventional wisdom suggests may have had different thermal profiles. The salient features of the Archean amphibolite-to-granulite transition in southern India have been recently summarized. The observed metamorphic progression reflects increasing temperature and pressure. Conditions for the Phanerozoic amphibolite-to-granulite transition in the southern Appalachians were documented. The following sequence of prograde reactions was observed: kyanite = sillimanite, muscovite = sillimanite + K-feldspar, partial melting of pelites, and hornblende = orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + garnet. The mineral compositions of low-variance assemblages in mafic and intermediate rocks are almost identical for the two granulite facies assemblages. In light of their different fluid regimes and possible mechanisms for heat flow augmentation, it seems surprising that these Archean and Phanerozoic granulite terranes were apparently metamorphosed under such similar conditions of pressure and temperature. Comparison with other terrains containing continuous amphibolite-to-granulite facies transitions will be necessary before this problem can be addressed.

Mcsween, Harry Y., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2019

The Effects of High-Temperature Fractional Crystallization on Calcium Isotopic Composition

We report Ca isotope fractionation among a co-genetic suite of samples from the Mauritanian Guelb el Azib ultramafic-mafic-anorthosite complex (GAC), which represents the fractional crystallization sequence of an igneous magma chamber. We investigate how the composition of an evolving crystallizing liquid and the resultant mineralogy of co-crystallizing assemblages affects inter-phase Ca isotope fractionation. Because the GAC is an Archean metamorphosed complex, we first investigate the resistance of the Ca isotope signature to secondary hydrothermal alteration and to metamorphism. While we cannot conclude here that Ca isotopes are undisturbed at the mineral scale, we show that they are preserved at the bulk rock scale. This is adequate for our study where several samples are almost monomineralic at the bulk scale level. The δ(exp 44/40)Ca (relative to NIST standard SRM 915a) of GAC layers range from −1.53 to 1.61‰, with the earliest-formed ultramafic cumulate layer being isotopically heaviest and the later, more felsic layers being isotopically lighter. For the first time, we show that plagioclase is much more enriched in light Ca isotopes compared to olivine and (Ca-) pyroxene. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that Ca isotopes are fractionated among co-existing silicate minerals during fractional crystallization, possibly in relation with the residual liquid composition. In qualitative agreement with computational models based on first principles lattice dynamics, we observe that Ca isotope fractionation is mineralogically controlled and importantly, that the degree of fractionation can vary according to the CaO composition of the residual liquid. While previous studies have aimed to understand partial melting as a source of Ca isotope fractionation, our results suggest that fractional crystallization is also a source of Ca isotope variability among co-genetic samples.

Maria C. Valdes↗

DOE OSTI2023

Chronology of alkali anorthosite 14304 clast “b” records basin forming impact at ~3.95 Ga

Alkali-suite rocks constitute one of three major suites of lunar crustal rocks. As such, constraining their formation timescales and petrogenesis is important for understanding the earliest magmatic history of the Moon. However, the magmatic history of alkali-suite rocks is partly obscured by superimposed effects of major basin-forming impact events on the lunar nearside. Consequently, unambiguous crystallization ages of samples from this suite of rocks have not been determined. Here, the aim of this study is to better understand the petrogenetic history of the alkali-suite and the potential superimposed effects of impact metamorphism by determining Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr, and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages for an alkali anorthosite clast from Apollo 14 lithic breccia 14304 termed clast “b”. The new chronologic measurements of clast “b” yield concordant Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr, and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of 3947 ± 13 Ma, 3975 ± 34 Ma, and 3937 ± 37 Ma respectively, resulting in a weighted mean age of 3949 ± 11 Ma. This age is not interpreted to date an igneous event related to production of the lunar highlands crust and instead the chronology and petrography of clast “b” are most readily explained by an impact event at ~3.95 Ga that caused near-complete isotopic re-equilibration of the Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr, and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar chronometers. The weighted mean age of 3949 ± 11 Ma of clast “b” is several hundred Ma younger than 4.3–4.4 Ga ages typically determined for samples of other crustal rock suites but in very good agreement with independent estimates for the formation of Imbrium basin ejecta and other marginally older impact events which are thought to have been sampled at the Apollo 14 landing site. Thus, although petrologic and geochemical examination suggest that clast “b” is a pristine igneous clast, its age likely records an impact event at the Apollo 14 landing site. Whereas the various determined ages of clast “b” do not reflect the timescales of alkali-suite magmatism, the relatively low initial Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of clast “b” indicate that its protolith evolved with very low 147 Sm/ 144 Nd and 87 Rb/ 86 Sr that are distinct from estimates for urKREEP but similar to that of lunar plagioclase. This implies that the igneous protolith of clast “b” derived from a plagioclase-dominated KREEP-rich source that must have formed after the formation of the urKREEP source at ~4.35 Ga but well before the impact event recorded by clast “b” at ~3.95 Ga.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1986

The Wisconsin magmatic terrane: An Early Proterozoic greenstone-granite terrane formed by plate tectonic processes

The Wisconsin magmatic terrane (WMT) is an east trending belt of dominantly volcanic-plutonic complexes of Early Proterozoic age (approx. 1850 m.y.) that lies to the south of the Archean rocks and Early Proterozoic epicratonic sequence (Marquette Range Supergroup) in Michigan. It is separated from the epicratonic Marquette Range Supergroup by the high-angle Niagara fault, is bounded on the south, in central Wisconsin, by Archean gneisses, is truncated on the west by rocks of the Midcontinent rift system, and is intruded on the east by the post-orogenic Wolf river batholith. The overall lithologic, geochemical, metallogenic, metamorphic, and deformational characteristics of the WMT are similar to those observed in recent volcanic arc terranes formed at sites of plate convergence. It is concluded that the WMT represents an evolved oceanic island-arc terrane accreated to the Superior craton in the Early Proterozoic. This conclusion is strengthened by the apparent absence of Archean basement from most of the WMT, and the recent recognition of the passive margin character of the epicratonic Marquette Range Supergroup.

Schulz, K. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The geology and petrogenesis of the southern closepet granite

The Archaean Closepet Granite is a polyphase body intruding the Peninsular Gneiss Complex and the associated supracrustal rocks. The granite out-crop runs for nearly 500 km with an approximate width of 20 to 25 km and cut across the regional metamorphic structure passing from granulite facies in the South and green schist facies in the north. In the amphibolite-granulite facies transition zone the granite is intimately mixed with migmatites and charnockite. Field observations suggests that anatexis of Peninsular gneisses led to the formation of granite melt, and there is a space relationship between migmatite formation, charnockite development and production and emplacement of granite magma. Based on texture and cross cutting relationships four major granite phases are recognized: (1) Pyroxene bearing dark grey granite; (2) Porphyritec granite; (3) Equigranular grey granite; and (4) Equigranular pink granite. The granite is medium to coarse grained and exhibit hypidiomorphic granular to porphyritic texture. The modal composition varies from granite granodiorite to quartz monzonite. Geochemical variation of the granite suite is consistent with either fractional crystallization or partial melting, but in both the cases biotite plus feldspar must be involved as fractionating or residual phases during melting to account trace element chemistry. The trace element data has been plotted on discriminant diagrams, where majority of samples plot in volcanic arc and within plate, tectonic environments. The granite show distinct REE patterns with variable total REE content. The REE patterns and overall abundances suggests that the granite suite represents a product of partial melting of crustal source in which fractional crystallization operated in a limited number of cases.

Jayananda, M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Characteristics and carbon stable isotopes of fluids in the Southern Kerala granulites and their bearing on the source of CO2

Carbon dioxide-rich inclusions commonly occur in the banded charnockites and khondalites of southern Kerala as well as in the incipient charnockites formed by desiccation of gneisses along oriented zones. The combined high density fluid inclusion isochores and the range of thermometric estimates from mineral assemblages indicate entrapment pressures in the range of 5.4 to 6.1 Kbar. The CO2 equation of state barometry closely compares with the 5 plus or minus 1 Kbar estimate from mineral phases for the region. The isochores for the high density fluid inclusions in all the three rock types pass through the P-T domain recorded by phase equilibria, implying that carbon dioxide was the dominating ambient fluid species during peak metamorphic conditions. In order to constrain the source of fluids and to evaluate the mechanism of desiccation, researchers undertook detailed investigations of the carbon stable isotope composition of entrapped fluids. Researchers report here the results of preliminary studies in some of the classic localities in southern Kerala namely, Ponmudi, Kottavattom, Manali and Kadakamon.

Santosh, M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Chemical, thermal and impact processing of asteroids

The geological effects of impacts, heating, melting, core formation, and aqueous alteration on asteroids are reviewed. A review of possible heat sources appears to favor an important role for electrical induction heating. The effects of each geologic process acting individually and in combination with others, are considered; it is concluded that there is much evidence for impacts during alteration, metamorphism and melting. These interactions vastly increased the geologic diversity of the asteroid belt. Subsequent impacts of cool asteroids did not reduce this diversity. Instead new rock types were created by mixing, brecciation and minor melting.

Scott, E. R. D.↗

NASA NTRS2021

Empirical Constraints on Progressive Shock Metamorphism of Magnetite from the Siljan Impact Structure, Sweden

Little is known about the microstructural behavior of magnetite during hypervelocity impact events, even though it is a widespread accessory mineral and important magnetic carrier in terrestrial and extraterrestrial rocks. We report systematic electron backscatter diffraction crystallographic analysis of shock features in magnetite, from a transect across the 52-km diameter ~380 Ma Siljan impact structure in Sweden. Magnetite grains in granitoid samples contain brittle fracturing, crystal-plasticity, and lamellar twins. Deformation twins along {111} with shear direction of <112> are consistent with spinel-law twins. Inferred bulk shock pressures for investigated samples, as constrained by planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz and shock twins in zircon, range from 0–20 GPa; onset of shock-induced twinning in magnetite is observed at >5 GPa. These results highlight the utility of magnetite to record shock deformation in rocks that experience shock pressures >5 GPa, which may be useful in quartz-poor samples. Despite significant hydrothermal alteration, and variable transformation of host magnetite to hematite, shock effects are preserved, demonstrating that magnetite is a reliable mineral for preserving shock deformation over geologic time.

magnetite↗

NASA NTRS1993

A geochemical study of acapulcoite and lodranite meteorites

Lodranites and acapulcoites (primitive achondrites) are two classes of meteorites with geochemical signatures similar to chondrite meteorites. Lodranites and acapulcoites, however, have few or none of the chondrules characteristic of the chondrites. Texturally the primitive achondrites appear to have been recystallized though planetary igneous or metamorphic processes. A study of five primitive achondrites, two lodranites, two acapulcoites, and one supposedly intermediate acapulcoite/lodranite, were analyzed petrographically and geochemically to determine the igneous and metamorphic processes which have affected them. Acapulcoites show little evidence of melt extraction. The geochemistry of lodranite samples indicates silicate and metal/sulfide melts were removed from the rocks. The mineralogy and geochemistry of the intermediate meteorite suggest the rock is a metal rich acapulcoite and not a lodranite.

Field, Stephen W.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Robust Biomarker

Polymers of bacterial origin, either through cell secretion or the degraded product of cell lysis, form isolated mucoidal strands as well as well-developed biofilms on interfaces. Biofilms are structurally and compositionally complex and are readily distinguishable from abiogenic films. These structures range in size from micrometers to decimeters, the latter occurring as the well-known, mineralised biofilms called stromatolites. Compositionally bacterial polymers are greater than 90 % water, with while the majority of the macromolecules forming the framework of the polymers consisting of polysaccharides (with and some nucteic acids and proteins). These macromolecules contain a vaste amount of functional groups, such as carboxyls, hydroxyls, and phosphoryls which are implicated in cation-binding. It is the elevated metal- binding capacity which provides the bacterial polymer with structural support and also helps to preserves it for up to 3.5 b.y. in the terrestrial rock record. The macromolecules, thus, can become rapidly mineralised and trapped in a mineral matrix. Through early and late diagenesis (bacterial degradation, burial, heat, pressure and time) they break down, losing the functional groups and, gradually, their hydrogen atoms. The degraded product is known as "kerogen". With further diagenesis and metamorphism, all the hydrogen atoms are lost and the carbonaceous matter becomes graphite. until the remnant carbonaceous material become graphitised. This last sentence reads a bit as if ALL these macromolecules break down and end up as graphite., but since we find 441 this is not true for all of the macromolecules. We have traced fossilised polymer and biofilms in rocks from throughout Earth's history, to rocks as old as the oldest being 3.5 b.y.-old. Furthermore, Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry has been able to identify individual macromolecules of bacterial origin, the identities of which are still being investigated, in all the samples containing fossil biofilm, including the 3.5 b.y..-old carbonaceous cherts from South Africa and Australia. As a result of the unique compositional, structural and "mineralisable" properties of bacterial polymer and biofilms, we conclude that bacterial polymers and biofilms constitute a robust and reliable biomarker for life on Earth and could be a potential biomarker for extraterrestrial life.

Westall, F.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Explosive volcanism, shock metamorphism and the K-T boundary

The issue of whether shocked quartz can be produced by explosive volcanic events is important in understanding the origin of the K-T boundary constituents. Proponents of a volcanic origin for the shocked quartz at the K-T boundary cite the suggestion of Rice, that peak overpressures of 1000 kbars can be generated during explosive volcanic eruptions, and may have occurred during the May, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Attention was previously drawn to the fact that peak overpressures during explosive eruptions are limited by the strength of the rock confining the magma chamber to less than 8 kbars even under ideal conditions. The proposed volcanic mechanisms for generating pressures sufficient to shock quartz are further examined. Theoretical arguments, field evidence and petrographic data are presented showing that explosive volcanic eruptions cannot generate shock metamorphic features of the kind seen in minerals at the K-T boundary.

Desilva, S. L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Carbonate petrography, kerogen distribution, and carbon and oxygen isotope variations in an early Proterozoic transition from limestone to iron-formation deposition, Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa

The transition zone comprises Campbellrand microbialaminated (replacing "cryptalgalaminate") limestone and shale, with minor dolomite, conformably overlain by the Kuruman Iron Formation of which the basal part is characterized by siderite-rich microbanded iron-formation with minor magnetite and some hematite-containing units. The iron-formation contains subordinate intraclastic and microbialaminated siderite mesobands and was deposited in deeper water than the limestones. The sequence is virtually unaltered with diagenetic mineral assemblages reflecting a temperature interval of about 110 degrees to 170 degrees C and pressures of 2 kbars. Carbonate minerals in the different rock types are represented by primary micritic precipitates (now recrystallized to microsparite), early precompactional sparry cements and concretions, deep burial limpid euhedral sparites, and spar cements precipitated from metamorphic fluids in close contact with diabase sills. Paragenetic pathways of the carbonate minerals are broadly similar in all lithofacies with kerogen intimately associated with them. Kerogen occurs as pigmentation in carbonate crystals, as reworked organic detritus in clastic-textured carbonate units, and as segregations of kerogen pigment around late diagenetic carbonate crystals. Locally kerogen may also be replaced by carbonate spar. Carbon isotope compositions of the carbonate minerals and kerogen are dependent on their mode of occurrence and on the composition of the dominant carbonate species in a specific lithofacies. Integration of sedimentary, petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic results makes it possible to distinguish between depositional, early diagenetic, deep burial, and metamorphic effects on the isotopic compositions of the carbonate minerals and the kerogen in the sequence. Major conclusions are that deep burial thermal decarboxylation led to 13C depletion in euhedral ferroan sparites and 13C enrichment in kerogen (organic carbon). Metamorphic sparites are most depleted in 13C. Carbonates in oxide-rich iron-formations are more depleted in 13C than those in siderite-rich iron-formation whereas the kerogens in oxide banded iron-formations (BIF) are more enriched. This implies that the siderite-rich iron-formations were not derived from oxide-rich iron-formation through reduction of ferric iron by organic matter. Organic matter oxidation by ferric iron did, however, decrease the abundance of kerogen in oxide-rich iron-formation and led to the formation of isotopically very light sparry carbonates. Siderite and calcmicrosparite both represent recrystallized primary micritic precipitates but differ in their 13C composition, with the siderites depleted in 13C by 4.6 per mil on average relative to calcmicrosparite. This means that the siderites were precipitated from water with dissolved inorganic carbon depleted in 13C by about 9 per mil relative to that from which the limestones precipitated. This implies an ocean system stratified with regard to total carbonate, with the deeper water, from which siderite-rich iron-formation formed, depleted in 13C. Iron-formations were deposited in areas of very low organic matter supply. Depletion of 13C may, therefore, derive not from degradation of organic matter but from hydrothermal activity, a conclusion which is supported by 18O composition of the carbonate minerals and trace element and rare earth element (REE) compositions of the iron-formations.

NASA Discipline Number 52-30↗

NASA NTRS1998

Correlated Petrologic and Geochemical Characteristics of CO3 Chondrites

Many properties of CO3 chondrites have been shown previously to have resulted from thermal metamorphism; petrologic subtypes 3.0-3.7 have been assigned to members of the group. Additional properties that correlate with the metamorphic sequence but seem to have resulted from hydrothermal alteration include the modal abundance of amoeboid olivine inclusions (AOI), chondrule size, the types of refractory inclusions and whole rock O isotopic composition. The percentage of rimmed AOI increases with petrologic subtype. The rims most likely formed during hydrothermal alteration. The previously reported correlation between AOI abundance and chondrite subtype is probably an artifact due to the difficulty in recognizing small unrimmed AOI in the least metamorphosed CO3 chondrites. Because large (>=200 micron size) porphyritic chondrules have nearly the same mean size in all CO3 chondrites, it seems likely that the correlation between chondrule size and subtype is due to alteration of the smallest chondrules to the point of unrecognizability as complete objects in the more metamorphosed CO3 chondrites. The previously reported decrease in the proportion of melilite-rich refractory inclusions with increasing petrologic subtype may have resulted from more extensive hydrothermal alteration in CO3 .4-3.7 chondrites that converted primary melilite into Ca-pyroxene, andradite and nepheline. Alteration probably caused the preferential occurrence of O-16-poor oxygen isotopes in the more metamorphosed whole rock samples.

Rubin, Alan E.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Irradiation history and accretionary processes in lunar and meteoritic breccias

Particle track studies reveal an abundant record of fossil solar flare tracks in breccia components. Metamorphic events govern the degree to which this record is preserved, and studies of phases with different track retentivities allow limits to be placed on temperatures reached during a rock's history. The least affected breccias have never experienced temperatures as great as 300 C. Two breccias which contain xenon from spontaneous fission of Pu-244 (14301 and 14318) and Xe-129 (14301 only) have never been heated above about 700 C. This and evidence for a surface irradiation of some of the breccia components support a surface implantation model for the origin of the xenon in these breccias. Green glass spheres in 15086 have not been heated above about 300 C during or after breccia formation yet have retained fission tracks for less than 0.7 G.y. Argon ages of about 3.5 G.y. for similar green glass are at least five times as great and may indicate that the glass was not completely outgassed at is formation.

Macdougall, D.↗