Shock metamorphism of ordinary chondrites from Grove Mountains,Antarctica

Shock effects of 93 Grove Mountains （GRV） ordinary chondrites were studied in this work, including fracture, various types of extinction, and recrystallization of silicates observed under optical microscopy. Shock-induced veins and pockets show various microtextures, decomposition and phase transformation of minerals. The confirmed high-pressure polymorphs of silicates are ringwoodite, majorite, pyroxene glass and maskelynite. Based on the shock effects and assemblages of high-pressure minerals, shock stages of all of 93 GRV ehondrites were classified. In comparison with literature, the Grove Mountains meteorites have a higher fraction （23 out of 93 ） of heavily shocked samples （S4--S5）. Most of the heavily shocked meteorites are L group （22 out of 23）, except for one H chondrite. The distinct shock metamorphism between H and. L groups may indicate different surface properties of their parent bodies. In addition, there is relationship between petrologic types and shock stages, with most heavily shocked samples observed in equilibrated ordinary chondrites （ especially Type 5 and 6）.

Weathering,shock metamorphism and type distribution patterns of 98 ordinary chondrites from the Grove Mountains,Antarctica

Petrography and mineral chemistry of ninety-eight ordinary chondrites from Grove Mountains （GRV）, Antarctica, were presented and their. Weathering effect, shock metamorphism and type distribution patterns were discussed in this study. Among them, six are unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, including 3 H3 and 3 L3 ; and 92 meteorites are equilibrated ordinary chondrites, including 24 H-group （ 13 H4, 10 H5, 1 H6）, 64 L-group （2 L4, 44 L5, 18 L6） and 4 LL-group （3 LL4, 1 LL5）. Most GRV ehondrites （ 〉 90% ） displayed minor weathering effect （ W1 and W2）. About half of the meteorites experienced severe shock metamorphism. They commonly contain shock-induced melt veins and pockets. These heavily shocked meteorites provide us with natural samples for study of high-pressure polymorphs of minerals. In addition, the Grove Mountains collection seems to have more abundant unequilibrated and L group ordinary ehondrites compared to the US Antarctic meteorite collection which were mainly found along the Transantarctic Mountains.

Shock metamorphism in meteorites

Shock metamorphism resulting from hyperveloeity collisions between planetary bodies, is a fundamental processes in the solar system. The term ＂shock metamorphism＂ is used to describe all changes in rocks and minerals resulting from the passage of shock waves. Most meteorites have experienced coUisions and have a record of shock metamorphism, which includes brecciation, deformation, phase transformation, local melting and crystallization. The key to reading this record is to use the shock features to estimate the pressure and duration of shock event. In this paper, the history of the study of shock metamorphism is reviewed; basic knowledge of shock physics is discussed; recent 10 years＇ studies of shock-induced melt veins are summarized; and finally a short note to the shock metamorphism in general is given.

Evidence of Shock Metamorphism Effects in Allochthonous Breccia Deposits from the Colonia Crater,Sao Paulo,Brazil

The 3.6 km-diameter Colonia impact crater, centred at 2352'03"S and 4642'27"W,?lies 40 km to the south-west of the S?o Paulo city. The structure was formed on the crystalline basement rocks and displays a bowl-shaped with steeper slope near the top that decreases gently toward the centre of the crater. Over recent years were drilled two boreholes inside the crater, which reached a maximum depth of 142 m and 197 m. Geological profile suggests four different lithological associations: 1) unshocked crystalline basement rocks (197 - 140 m);2) fractured/brecciated basement rocks (140 - 110 m);3) polymictic allochthonous breccia deposits (110 - 40 m);and 4) post-impact deposits (40 - 0 m). Petrographic characterisation of the polymictic allochthonous breccia reveals a series of distinctive shock-metamorphic features, including, among others, planar deformation features in quartz, feldspar and mica, ballen silica, granular texture in zircon and melt-bearing impact rocks. The occurrence of melt particles and very high-pressure phase transformation in suevite breccia suggest a shock pressure regime higher than 60 GPa.

Insights into chondrule formation process and shock-thermal history of the Dergaon chondrite (H4-5)

The Dergaon fall represents a shock-melted H4-5 （S5） ordinary chondrite which includes at least ten textural varieties of chondrules and belongs to the high chondrule-matrix ratio type. Our study reveals that the chondrules are of diverse mineralogy with variable olivine-pyroxene ratios （Type Ⅱ）, igneous melt textures developed under variable cooling rates and formed through melt fractionations from two different melt reservoirs. Based on the experimental analogues, mineralogical associations and phase compositions, it is suggested that the Dergaon chondrules reflect two contrasting environments： a hot, dust-enriched and highly oxidized nebular environment through melting, without significant evapora- tion, and an arrested reducing environment concomitant with major evaporation loss of alkali and highly volatile trace elements. Coexistence of chlorapatite and merrillite suggests formation of the Dergaon matrix in an acidic accretionary environment. Textural integration and chemical homogenization occurred at - I atmospheric pressure and a mean temperature of 765 ℃ mark the radiogenic thermal event. Equilibrated shock features （olivine mosaicism, diaplectic plagioclase, polycrystalline troilite） due to an impact-induced thermal event reflect a shock pressure 〉45 GPa and temperature of 600 ℃. By contrast, the local disequilibrium shock features （silicate melt veins comprising of olivine crystallites, troilite melt veins and metal droplets） correspond to a shock pressure up to 75 GPa and temperature 〉950 ℃.

The discovery of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ,the α-PbO_(2)-structured high-pressure polymorph of rutile,in the Suizhou L6 chondrite

We report the discovery of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ in the unmelted rock of the shocked Suizhou L6 chondrite.Natural TiO_(2)-Ⅱ was previously found in ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic and mantle-derived rocks,terrestrial impact structures,and tektite.Our microscopic,Raman spectroscopic,electron microprobe and transmission electron microscopic investigations have revealed:(1) All observed TiO_(2)-Ⅱ grains are related with ilmenite and pyrophanite;(2) TiO_(2)-Ⅱ occurs as needle-and leaf-shaped inclusions in llmenite and patch-,tape-shaped body in pyrophanite;(3)The composition of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ is identical with that of its precursor rutile;(4) The Raman spectrum of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ is in good agreement with that of natural and synthesized α-PbO_(2)-type TiO_(2);(5) TiO_(2)-Ⅱ occurs mainly in the form of well-ordered nano-domains and small mis-orientation among the domains can be observed.(6) All electron diffraction reflections from TiO_(2)-Ⅱ can be indexed to α-PbO_(2)structure in space group Pbcn with lattice parameters of a=4.481 ?,b=5.578 A and c=4.921 A;(7) The exsolution inclusions of rutile from host ilmenite are mostly connected with an alternation process along the lamellar twinning plane of ilmenite induced by shockinduced high pressure and high temperature;(8) The P-T regime of 20-25 GPa and 1000 ℃ estimated for the Suizhou unmelted rock is suitable for phase transition of rutile into TiO_(2)-Ⅱ phase.

Formation of FeNi metal nodules in the Jilin H5 chondrite,the largest stone meteorite in the world

The Jilin H5 chondrite, the largest known stony meteorite in the world, with its No.1 fragment weighing1770 kg. It contains submillimeter-to centimeter-sized FeNi metal particles/nodules. Our optical microscopic and electron microprobe analyses revealed that the formation of metal nodules in this meteorite is a complex and long-term process, The early stage is the thermal diffusion-caused migration and concentration of dispersed metallic material along fractures to form root-hair shaped metal grains during thermal metamorphism of this meteorite. The later two collision events experienced by this meteorite led to the further migration and aggregation of metallic material into the shock-produced cracks and openings to form largersized metal grains. The shock-produced shear movement and frictional heating occurred in this meteorite greatly enhanced the migration and aggregation of metallic material to form the large-sized nodules. It was revealed that the metal nodule formation process in the Jilin H5 chondrite might perform in the solid or subsolidus state, and neither melting of chondritic metal grains nor shock-induced vaporization of bulk chondrite material are related with this process.

The breakdown of diopside to(Ca,Mg)SiO_(3)perovskite–(Mg,Ca,Fe)SiO_(3)glass–(Mg,Ca)SiO_(3)glass–(Mg,Ca)SiO_(3)majorite in a melt vein the Suizhou L6 chondrite

The Suizhou meteorite is a heavily shocked and melted vein-containing L6 chondrite.It contains a minor amount of diopside with a(Ca_(0.419)Mg_(0.466)Fe_(0.088))SiO_(3)composition,and a shock-metamorphosed diopside grain associated with ringwoodite and lingunite was found in a melt vein of this meteorite.Our electron microprobe,transmission electron microscopic and Raman spectroscopic analyses revealed four silicate phases with different compositions and structures inside this shock-metamorphosed diopside grain,termed phase A,B,C and D in this paper.Phase A is identified as orthorhombic(Ca_(0.663)-Mg_(0.314))SiO_(3)-perovskite which is closely associated with phase B,the vitrified(Mg_(0.642)Ca_(0.290)Fe_(0.098))SiO_(3)perovskite.Phase D is assigned to be(Mg_(0.578)Ca_(0.414))SiO_(3)majorite which is associated with phase C,the vetrified Carich Mg-perovskite with a(Mg_(0.853)Ca_(0.167))SiO_(3)composition.Based on high-pressure and high-temperature experiments,the diopside grain in the melt vein of the Suizhou meteorite would have experienced a P–T regime of 20–24GPa and 1800–>2000℃.Such P–T conditions are high enough for the decomposition of the diopside and the formation of four different silicate phases.The orthorhombic(Ca_(0.663)Mg_(0.314))SiO_(3)perovskite found in the Suizhou L6 chondrite might be considered as the third lower-mantle silicate mineral after bridgmanite and davemaoite after the detailed analyses of its crystal structure and physical properties being completed.

A Tiny Piece of Basalt Probably from Asteroid 4 Vesta

Grove Mountains (GRV) 99018 is a new eucrite (0.23 g), consisting mainly of pyroxene (50.5 vol%) and plagioclase (37.2 vol%) with minor silica minerals (7.0 Vol%) and opaque minerals (5.2 vol%). It was intensely shocked, leading to partial melting, formation of abundant tiny inclusions in pyroxenes and plagioclase, and heavy brecciation. Exsolution of most pyroxenes (1-3μm in width of the lamellae), recrystallization of the shpck-induced melt pockets and veins (5-20μm in size), and homogeneous compositions of pyroxenes of various occurrences suggest the intense thermal metamorphism of GRV 99018 in the asteroidal body Vesta. This new eucrite will bring additional constraints on the chemical composition and multi-stage thermal and shock history of Vesta.

Classification of 24 New Ordinary Chondrites from the Grove Mountains, Antarctica

Petrography and mineral chemistry of 24 ordinary chondrites from the Grove Mountains, Antarctica, have been studied in order to identify their chemical-petrographic types. These samples were selected from a total of 4448 Grove Mountains (GRV) meteorites collected during the 19th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition so as to make an estimation of the large GRV meteorite collection. The chemical-petrographic types of these meteorites are presented below: 1 H3,2 H4, 4 H5, 2 H6, 1 L4, 7 L5, 5 L6, 1 LL4 and 1 LL6. The new data weaken the previous report that unequilibrated ordinary chondrites are unusually abundant in the Grove Mountains region. However, this work confirms significant differences in distribution patterns of chemical-petrographic types between the Grove Mountains and other regions in Antarctica. Many of these meteorites show significant terrestrial weathering, probably due to a high abundance ratio of meteorites found in moraines to those on blue ice. Nine meteorites experienced severe shock metamorphism, as evidenced by undulose extinction and intense fracturing of silicates and presence of shock-induced melt veins and pockets. These heavily shocked meteorites provided us with natural samples for the study of high-pressure polymorphs of minerals.

Discovery of Shock Metamorphic Quartz at Taihu Lake Zeshan Island and Its Implications

The origin of Taihu Lake has attracted the attention of several generations ofChinese geologists. Especially the impact origin hypothesis was put forward by Prof.Pen Zhi-zhong. In the beginning of the 1990s, based on the previous hypotheses, differ-ent views have been advanced one by one. These indicate that research work aboutthe Taihu Lake origin is in a deep-going way.

Occurrence andmineral chemistry of chromite and xieite in the Suizhou L6 chondrite

The occurrence and mineral chemistry of chromite and its high-pressure phase xieite in the Suizhou meteorite were studied by different modem micromineralogical techniques. Three types of occurrences for chromite were observed in the Suizhou L6 chondrite： coarse chromite grains, cluster of chromite fragments in molten plagioclase, and exsolution lamellar chromite in oli- vine. All the chromite grains of the first two types are remarkably similar in chemical compositions, but the composition of exsolution chromite is inhomogeneous and variable in A1203 content. Xieite is a post-spinel CT-phase of chromite firstly found in the Suizhou meteorite. Three types of occurrences of xieite have also been revealed in this meteorite： coarse xieite grains, complex three-zone-grains consisting of the inner xieite, the intermediate lamellae-like CF-phase and the outer chromite phase, and two-phase-grains consisting of xieite and one of the high-pressure silicate minerals lingunite, ringwoodite or majorite. The curved boundary between xieite and the silicate half in two-phase grains is indicative of some partial or even full melting of the silicate phase. EPMA and EDS results show that the compositions of xieite inside/contacting the shock veins are also identical to that of chromite outside the veins. However, some element diffusion appeared in between the xieite and the silicate half in the two-phase grains, namely, some of Al^3＋ from lingunite, or Fe^2＋ from ringwoodite migrated to xieite, and some of Cr^3＋ migrated from xieite to lingunite or ringwoodite. Majorite in two-phase grains shows remarkable decrease of SiO2 and MgO, and notable increase of Al2O3 and CaO, indicating that its host mineral pyroxene was fully molten and mixed with the surrounding silicate melt of the vein matrix. The complexity in mineral chemistry of these two-phase grains in shock veins can be explained by the much higher shock peak temperature in shock veins （1800-2000℃） than in unmelted main body （-1000℃）, and by the much lower density of the silicate minerals （2.6-3.3 g/cm3） than that of chromite （4.43 g/cm^3）. Being a refractory and a rela-tively high-impedance material, chromite is chemically more stable and easier to reflect shock wave into the silicate half causing the partial or even full melting of silicate phases, upon which some diffusion of elements between the two phases them-selves, or even mixing of molten pyroxene and the surrounding silicate melt.