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NASA NTRS2002

Measurement of Meteor Impact Experiments Using Three-Component Particle Image Velocimetry

The study of hypervelocity impacts has been aggressively pursued for more than 30 years at Ames as a way to simulate meteoritic impacts. Development of experimental methods coupled with new perspectives over this time has greatly improved the understanding of the basic physics and phenomenology of the impact process. These fundamental discoveries have led to novel methods for identifying impact craters and features in craters on both Earth and other planetary bodies. Work done at the Ames Vertical Gun Range led to the description of the mechanics of the Chicxualub crater (a.k.a. K-T crater) on the Yucatan Peninsula, widely considered to be the smoking gun impact that brought an end to the dinosaur era. This is the first attempt in the world to apply three-component particle image velocimetry (3-D PIV) to measure the trajectory of the entire ejecta curtain simultaneously with the fluid structure resulting from impact dynamics. The science learned in these experiments will build understanding in the entire impact process by simultaneously measuring both ejecta and atmospheric mechanics.

Heineck, James T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Evidence for and implications of an Early Archean terrestrial impact record

Early Archean, 3.5 to 3.2 Ga, greenstone sequences in South Africa and Western Australia contain a well-preserved record of early terrestrial meteorite impacts. The main impact-produced deposits are layers, 10 cm to over 1 m thick, composed largely of sand-sized spherules, 0.1 to 4 mm in diameter. The beds studied to date show an assemblage of features indicating formation by the fall of debris from impact-generated ejecta clouds. Some presented data effectively rule out normal magmatic or sedimentary processes in the origin of these units and provide substantial support for an origin by large impacts on the early earth. The presence of at least four, remarkably thick, nearly pure spherule layers suggests that smaller-scale impact deposits may be even more abundant in these sequences. The existence of a well-preserved Archean terrestrial impact record suggests that a direct source of evidence is available regarding a number of important aspects of early earth history.

Lowe, Donald R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The Acraman impact and its widespread ejecta, South Australia

Discovery of a widespread horizon of shock-deformed volcaniclastic ejecta preserved in Late Proterozoic (approx. 600 Ma) shales in South Australia and its probable link to the Acraman impact structure in the Middle Proterozoic Gawler Range. Volcanics provide a rare opportunity to study the effects of a major terrestrial impact, including the sedimentology and distribution of an ejecta blanket and its precious-metal signature. The ejecta horizon occurs in the Bunyeroo Formation at many localities within the Adelaide Geosyncline, including the Wearing Hills, which are approx. 350 km northeast of the Acraman impact site. Following a search at the same stratigraphic level in other basins in South Australia, the ejecta has been located within the Lower Rodda beds of the Officer Basin, extending the limits of the ejecta to approx. 470 km northwest of the Acraman impact structure. The ejecta is therefore widely dispersed, and provides an important chronostratigraphic marker enabling precise correlation of Late Proterozoic sequences in southern Australia. In summary, the Bunyeroo ejecta is unique as the only known example of a widely dispersed, coarse-grained ejecta blanket that is, moreover, strongly linked to a known major impact structure. The marked Ir-PGE anomalies in the ejecta horizon provide support for the hypothesis that meteorite impact events can produce Ir anomalies interrestrial sediments. The findings also indicate that Ir can be mobilized and concentrated in sediments by low-temperature diagenetic processes. The identification of ejecta horizons in sedimentary rocks therefore should be based on the coincidence of shock-metamorphic features in the detritus and clear Ir anomalies.

Gostin, V. A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A New Energy Source for Organic Synthesis in Europa's Surface Ice

Colored regions on Jupiter's satellite Europa and other icy bodies in the outer Solar System may be contaminated by organic macromolecular solid material that is produced when surface ices are exposed to electrical energy. Hypervelocity meteorite impacts and fracture release tidal and tectonic stresses in icy crusts in the form of electrical discharges, which provide the energy for in situ synthesis of the organic solids. We report measurements of electrical discharge, light emission, and magnetic phenomena in hypervelocity impacts into ice with projectiles with V approx. 5 km/s. Part of the projectile's kinetic energy is converted into electrical potential, while the mechanical disruption of the impact also releases stress energy as light, heat, electrical, and magnetic fields as secondary emissions. These newly recognized energy sources suggest that the dark material in the area of impact craters are tholins generated from the energy of the impacts and that well up from the fracture zone. Large pools of liquid water would persist under the meteorite crater for thousands of years, with the potential for prebiotic chemistry to take place at an accelerated rate due to energy pumped in from the secondary emissions.

Borucki, Jerome G.↗
NASA NTRS1966

The origin of tektites.

Origin of Moung Nong type tektities detached by meteoritic impact, considering lunar origin based on diffusion rates in silicates

METEORITE COLLISION↗
NASA NTRS1985

The coming revolution in planetology

Current ideas about the moon appear to be mistaken on two fundamental points. First, at least within certain large classes of lunar craters, internal origin (i.e., some form of volcanism) predominates over impact; this result raises questions about the reality of the 'era of violent bombardment'. Second, the origin of tektites by meteoritic impact on the earth cannot be reconciled with physical principles and is to be abandoned. The only viable alternative is origin by lunar volcanism, which implies the following: continuance of (rare) explosive lunar volcanism to the present time; existence of silicic lunar volcanism and of small patches of silicic rock at the lunar surface; a body of rock in the lunar interior, probably at great depth, which is closely similar to the earth's mantle and which contains billions of tons of volatiles, probably including hydrogen; and origin of the moon from the earth after the formation of the earth's core.

Okeefe, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Large impacts in the Baltic shield with special attention to the Uppland structure

Within the Baltic Shield several very large structures have been identified and are suspected to be of meteorite impact origin. Some of these deeply eroded circular features are presented with special attention to the Uppland structure, where several indications point toward an impact origin in the mid-Proterozoic. The structures exceed 100 km in diameter and the topographic expression is inferior or absent. An arcuate arrangement of lithologies occurs around the margin of the structures and the central regions show conform magnetic and positive gravity anomalies. The Uppland structure is approximately 320 km in diameter as expressed by morphological, geological, and geophysical concentric patterns. The central part is topographically remarkably flat and is characterized by an unusual irregular fracture pattern. A subcircular central tonalite with density of 2.81 Mg(sup -3) gives a positive gravity anomaly of 35 mgal and the gravimetric profile is very similar to that of Manicouagan and Vredefort. The tonalite constitutes a huge antiform, 80 km in diameter, probably representing a 12-km structural uplift of infracrustal rocks. The flancs of the tonalite are characterized by recrystallized pseudotachylitic breccia dykes and breccia zones. Around the central parts amphibolite-grade metamorphic rocks appear as large fragments within a fine-grained granite interpreted as a thermally annealed melt rock. Several occurrences of breccia dykes and breccia-bearing melts have been identified about 100 km from the gravimetric center of the structure. Impact-related ore deposits are located around the margin of the structure and are interpreted as preexisting downfaulted iron formations, and deposits formed from remobilization of these preimpact occurrences. The so-called ball ores are interpreted to have formed by fluid injection similar to the formation of breccia dykes. The extensive hydrothermal alteration along the outer margin of the structure have created extreme soda and K-enriched rocks ('leptites') from preexisting gneiss granites and supracrustal sedimentary gneisses.

Henkel, H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

J-integral patch for finite element analysis of dynamic fracture due to impact of pressure vessels

Prediction of whether a pressurized cylinder will fail catastrophically when impacted by a projectile has important applications ranging from perforation of an airplane's skin by a failed turbine blade to meteorite impact of a space station habitation module. This report summarizes the accomplishment of one task for a project whose aim is to simulate numerically the outcome of a high velocity impact of pressure vessels. A finite element patch covering the vicinity of a growing crack has been constructed to estimate the J-integral (crack driving force) during the impact. Explicit expressions for the J-integral through the nodal values of displacement, strain, and stress have been written. The patch is to be used repeatedly to estimate the amount of crack growth during the time of the impact. The resulting crack size is to be compared to an estimated critical crack size for the pressurized cylinder.

Kunin, Boris I.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Initial Results on the Extraterrestrial Component of New Sediment Cores Containing Deposits of the Eltanin Impact Event

Background: The impact of the Eltanin asteroid into the Bellingshausen Sea (2.15 Ma) is the only known impact in a deep-ocean (approx. 5 km) basin. In 1995, Polarstern expedition ANT XII/4 made the first geological survey of the suspected impact region. Three sediment cores sampled around the San Martin seamounts (approx. 57.5 S, 91 W) contained well-preserved impact deposits. Sediments of Eocene age and younger were ripped up and redeposited by the impact. The depositional sequence produced by the impact has three units: a chaotic assemblage of sediment fragments up to 50 cm, followed by laminated sands deposited as a turbulent flow, and finally silts and clays that accumulated from dispersed sediments in the water column. The meteoritic impact ejecta, which is composed of shock-melted asteroidal materials and unmelted meteorites, settled through the water column and concentrated near the top of the laminated sands.

Kyte, Frank T.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Matrix characteristics and origin of lunar breccia samples no. 12034 and 12073

The transmission electron microscope was used to investigate the nature of the matrix in two samples of lunar breccia. This matrix is composed largely of tiny (0.5 microns) grains of unaltered glass which are plastically fitted against one another, and tightly welded to the clastic fragments with which they are in contact. The breccias have an open framework of angular clastic particles composed mainly of anorthositic, basaltic and glassy fragments. Most of the anorthositic fragments have been shock metamorphosed. Over half of the glassy clasts, and also the former diaplectic glass particles produced from shocked plagioclase, were partly or wholly devitrified before inclusion in the present breccias. It is concluded that each breccia was deposited from a hot basesurge cloud of impact debris, and the tiny bits of glass in the matrix condensed from rock that was volatilized by the heat of major meteorite impact.

Waters, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Results of examination of the returned Surveyor 3 samples for particulate impacts

The television housing and a section of the strut of the radar altimeter and Doppler velocity sensor were examined optically and with a scanning electron microscope for particulate impacts. The white surface of the camera was discolored during the months the Surveyor 3 was on the moon; however, most of the craters must have occurred as a result of lunar dust sandblasted by the LM exhaust. The polished section of the strut exhibits contamination which appears brown and seems to be partially composed of crystals. Electron microscopic analysis of the strut section indicated no craters of hypervelocity impact origin, confirmed pitting density results of the optical scans, and indicated that material in the craters is of lunar origin. No meteorite impacts larger than 25 microns were detected on the tubing section.

Cour-Palais, B. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Impact Cratering Calculations

Impact cratering, both normal and oblique, on planetary surfaces is discussed and energy partitioning, ejecta distribution, (both with regard to size, velocity, energy content, and size sorting), the condensation physics of impact induced vapor, and the loss of planetary atmospheres during accretion of terrestrial and icy planets are considered. The possible origin of SNC meteorites, impact into porous regolith, equation of state of water and ice, and a possible model for the accretion of the Jovian and Saturnian satellites are examined.

Ahrens, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Impact cratering record of Fennoscandia

A compilation of circular topographic, morphological, or geophysical structures in Fennoscandia and adjacent areas reveals 62 craterform structures of which 15 appear to be of extraterrestrial origin due to meteorite impact. The majority of the structures are probable and possible impact craters for which there is not yet sufficient proof for impact origin. Four of the proven impact craters contain large volumes of impact melt and many other features of intense shock metamorphism. The age of recognized impact craters vary from prehistoric to late Precambrian. We review the Fennoscandian impact cratering record giving examples of geophysical signatures of impact craters.

Pesonen, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Magnetism of Carbonados

Carbonados are porous polycrystalline (with crystal sizes up to 100 micrometer) diamonds. Carbonado is found only in alluvial deposits in Bahia, Brazil and in the Central African Republic (CAR). Alluvial deposit host is 1.5 Ga while the carbonados are between 2.6 - 3.8 Ga. The process of fusing the carbonado microcrystals together is not fully understood, partly due to fact that the origin of these carbonado, is not known. Several modes of origins are proposed for carbonado. First, a crustal origin. Carbonados have a light carbon and helium isotopic signature. They contain an enrichment of the rare-earth elements (REE). Carbonados have tightly trapped atmospheric noble gases and contain an evidence of high He content despite the carbonado expected depletion of He at mantle temperatures. Carbonados have high porosity incompatible with high pressure mantle conditions. Second, a mantle origin is proposed based on similar REE pattern to kimberlites. The presence of nitrogen platelet (by IR spectra) indicates high temperature origin and syngenetic inclusions of rutile, ilmenite, and magnetite indicates high pressure and high temperature conditions consistent with mantle origin as well. Third, it is proposed that carbonado diamonds are a result of early impacts into crustal rocks. This is indicated by the rare and controversial occurrence of high pressure diamond polymorph, londsdaleite, frequently found in diamonds from meteorite impact sites, and by observation of planar deformation features, possibly indicating shock events. Finally, it is suggested that carbonados have an extraterrestrial origin, as indicated by a long term annealing based on observation of a zero-phonon line, attributed to paired nitrogen atoms in association with a vacancy.

Kletetschka, G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Shatter cones in Illinois: Evidence for metoeritic impacts at Glasford and Des Plaines

Shatter cone fragments were recovered from rock cores at two previously suspected, but heretofore unverified, impact structures in Illinois. Both sites are buried features known from geophysical surveys and drill holes. Shatter cones are accepted widely as field criteria of meteoritic impact. Detection of these shock indicators in both the Glasford Structure and the Des Plains Disturbance upgrades these sites in Earth's inventory of known and suspected impact structures from possible impact sites with compatible structure and morphology to probable impact structures which possess also evidence of shock metamorphism.

Mchone, John F.↗