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
Main Authors: Margolis, Stanley V., Claeys, Philippe, Kyte, Frank T.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 1991
Subjects:
Multidisciplinary
Pacific
Southern Ocean
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.251.5001.1594
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.251.5001.1594
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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.

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