In:
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 177, No. 9 ( 2022-09)
Abstract:
We investigated microfabrics of shocked Archean gneisses from two, 10 m-deep drill cores located near the center of the Vredefort impact structure in an area that is characterized by a prominent, long-wavelength negative magnetic anomaly ( 〈 − 3000 nT) together with short-wavelength, high-amplitude anomalies attributed to lightning strikes. Planar fractures and feather features in quartz, which can be partially recrystallized, indicate shock conditions less than 20 GPa. Micrometer-sized magnetite and ilmenite along shock-related shear fractures in quartz and feldspar emanate from adjacent deformed coarse ( 〉 100 µm) ilmenite and magnetite host grains. These fine-scaled veins suggest mobilization of magnetite and ilmenite during shear deformation of host Fe-phases and adjacent silicates, probably associated with frictional heating. Coarse ilmenite has fine-lamellar mechanical twins parallel to {10 $$\overline{1}$$ 1 ¯ 1} and single (0001) twins, indicative of dislocation-glide-controlled deformation under non-isostatic stresses related to shock. A few µm-wide magnetite lamellae parallel to {10 $$\overline{1}$$ 1 ¯ 1} and spheroidal magnetite (diameter ≈10 µm) within coarse ilmenite document exsolution after shock. Dauphiné twins associated with planar features in quartz imply cooling from 650 to 725 °C after shock, which accords with estimates of pre-impact basement temperatures from petrographic studies. The Curie temperature of magnetite is 580 °C; therefore, the central negative magnetic anomaly was produced as a thermoremanent magnetization acquired during cooling of the initially hot crust. The long-wavelength anomaly was likely amplified by the newly created magnetite that also acquired a thermal remanence. Although the magnetic properties of surface samples are often influenced by lightning strikes, we found no microstructural evidence for lightning-related processes.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0010-7999
,
1432-0967
DOI:
10.1007/s00410-022-01950-5
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2022
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1616-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1458979-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2075437-1
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2075439-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2075450-4
SSG:
13
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