Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet
We report the discovery in the Greenland ice sheet of a discrete layer of free nanodiamonds (NDs) in very high abundances, implying most likely either an unprecedented influx of extraterrestrial (ET) material or a cosmic impact event that occurred after the last glacial episode. From that layer, we...
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ftmaineuniv:oai:digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu:ers_facpub-1176 2024-09-15T18:09:04+00:00 Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet Kurbatov, Andrei V. Mayewski, Paul Andrew Steffensen, Jorgen P. West, Allen Kennett, Douglas J. Kennett, James P. Bunch, Ted E. Handley, Mike Introne, Douglas S. Que Hee, Shane S. Mercer, Christopher Sellers, Marilee Shen, Feng Sneed, Sharon B. Weaver, James C. Wittke, James H. Stafford, Thomas W. Donovan, John J. Xie, Sujing Razink, Joshua J. Stich, Adrienne Kinzie, Charles R. Wolbach, Wendy S. 2010-12-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ers_facpub/175 https://doi.org/10.3189/002214310794457191 https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/context/ers_facpub/article/1176/viewcontent/nanodiamond.pdf unknown DigitalCommons@UMaine https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ers_facpub/175 doi:10.3189/002214310794457191 https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/context/ers_facpub/article/1176/viewcontent/nanodiamond.pdf This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Earth Science Faculty Scholarship Greenland cosmic impact event Earth Sciences Glaciology text 2010 ftmaineuniv https://doi.org/10.3189/002214310794457191 2024-07-24T05:38:40Z We report the discovery in the Greenland ice sheet of a discrete layer of free nanodiamonds (NDs) in very high abundances, implying most likely either an unprecedented influx of extraterrestrial (ET) material or a cosmic impact event that occurred after the last glacial episode. From that layer, we extracted n-diamonds and hexagonal diamonds (lonsdaleite), an accepted ET impact indicator, at abundances of up to about 5!106 times background levels in adjacent younger and older ice. The NDs in the concentrated layer are rounded, suggesting they most likely formed during a cosmic impact through some process similar to carbon-vapor deposition or high-explosive detonation. This morphology has not been reported previously in cosmic material, but has been observed in terrestrial impact material. This is the first highly enriched, discrete layer of NDs observed in glacial ice anywhere, and its presence indicates that ice caps are important archives of ET events of varying magnitudes. Using a preliminary ice chronology based on oxygen isotopes and dust stratigraphy, the ND-rich layer appears to be coeval with ND abundance peaks reported at numerous North American sites in a sedimentary layer, the Younger Dryas boundary layer (YDB), dating to 12.9"0.1 ka. However, more investigation is needed to confirm this association. Text Greenland Ice Sheet The University of Maine: DigitalCommons@UMaine Journal of Glaciology 56 199 747 757 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Maine: DigitalCommons@UMaine |
op_collection_id |
ftmaineuniv |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Greenland cosmic impact event Earth Sciences Glaciology |
spellingShingle |
Greenland cosmic impact event Earth Sciences Glaciology Kurbatov, Andrei V. Mayewski, Paul Andrew Steffensen, Jorgen P. West, Allen Kennett, Douglas J. Kennett, James P. Bunch, Ted E. Handley, Mike Introne, Douglas S. Que Hee, Shane S. Mercer, Christopher Sellers, Marilee Shen, Feng Sneed, Sharon B. Weaver, James C. Wittke, James H. Stafford, Thomas W. Donovan, John J. Xie, Sujing Razink, Joshua J. Stich, Adrienne Kinzie, Charles R. Wolbach, Wendy S. Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet |
topic_facet |
Greenland cosmic impact event Earth Sciences Glaciology |
description |
We report the discovery in the Greenland ice sheet of a discrete layer of free nanodiamonds (NDs) in very high abundances, implying most likely either an unprecedented influx of extraterrestrial (ET) material or a cosmic impact event that occurred after the last glacial episode. From that layer, we extracted n-diamonds and hexagonal diamonds (lonsdaleite), an accepted ET impact indicator, at abundances of up to about 5!106 times background levels in adjacent younger and older ice. The NDs in the concentrated layer are rounded, suggesting they most likely formed during a cosmic impact through some process similar to carbon-vapor deposition or high-explosive detonation. This morphology has not been reported previously in cosmic material, but has been observed in terrestrial impact material. This is the first highly enriched, discrete layer of NDs observed in glacial ice anywhere, and its presence indicates that ice caps are important archives of ET events of varying magnitudes. Using a preliminary ice chronology based on oxygen isotopes and dust stratigraphy, the ND-rich layer appears to be coeval with ND abundance peaks reported at numerous North American sites in a sedimentary layer, the Younger Dryas boundary layer (YDB), dating to 12.9"0.1 ka. However, more investigation is needed to confirm this association. |
format |
Text |
author |
Kurbatov, Andrei V. Mayewski, Paul Andrew Steffensen, Jorgen P. West, Allen Kennett, Douglas J. Kennett, James P. Bunch, Ted E. Handley, Mike Introne, Douglas S. Que Hee, Shane S. Mercer, Christopher Sellers, Marilee Shen, Feng Sneed, Sharon B. Weaver, James C. Wittke, James H. Stafford, Thomas W. Donovan, John J. Xie, Sujing Razink, Joshua J. Stich, Adrienne Kinzie, Charles R. Wolbach, Wendy S. |
author_facet |
Kurbatov, Andrei V. Mayewski, Paul Andrew Steffensen, Jorgen P. West, Allen Kennett, Douglas J. Kennett, James P. Bunch, Ted E. Handley, Mike Introne, Douglas S. Que Hee, Shane S. Mercer, Christopher Sellers, Marilee Shen, Feng Sneed, Sharon B. Weaver, James C. Wittke, James H. Stafford, Thomas W. Donovan, John J. Xie, Sujing Razink, Joshua J. Stich, Adrienne Kinzie, Charles R. Wolbach, Wendy S. |
author_sort |
Kurbatov, Andrei V. |
title |
Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet |
title_short |
Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet |
title_full |
Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet |
title_fullStr |
Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the Greenland ice sheet |
title_sort |
discovery of a nanodiamond-rich layer in the greenland ice sheet |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@UMaine |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ers_facpub/175 https://doi.org/10.3189/002214310794457191 https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/context/ers_facpub/article/1176/viewcontent/nanodiamond.pdf |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
op_source |
Earth Science Faculty Scholarship |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ers_facpub/175 doi:10.3189/002214310794457191 https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/context/ers_facpub/article/1176/viewcontent/nanodiamond.pdf |
op_rights |
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3189/002214310794457191 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
56 |
container_issue |
199 |
container_start_page |
747 |
op_container_end_page |
757 |
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1810446455119282176 |