Impactites of the Haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Canadian High Arctic

• Main Authors: Osinski, Gordon R., Spray, John G., Lee, Pascal
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Meteoritics & Planetary Science Archives 2005
• Subjects: Impact melt breccias;Carbonate melts;Haughton impact structure;Impactites;Crystalline versus sedimentary targets; Arctic; Devon Island
• Online Access: https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/maps/article/view/15210

Contrary to the previous interpretation of a single allochthonous impactite lithology, combined field, optical, and analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies have revealed the presence of a series of impactites at the Haughton impact structure. In the crater interior, there is a consistent upward sequence from parautochthonous target rocks overlain by parautochthonous lithic (monomict) breccias, through allochthonous lithic (polymict) breccia, into pale grey allochthonous impact melt breccias. The groundmass of the pale grey impact melt breccias consists of microcrystalline calcite, silicate impact melt glass, and anhydrite. Analytical data and microtextures indicate that these phases represent a series of impact-generated melts that were molten at the time of, and following, deposition. Impact melt glass clasts are present in approximately half of the samples studied. Consideration of the groundmass phases and impact glass clasts reveal that impactites of the crater interior contain shock-melted sedimentary material from depths of >920 to 200 to