Georgiaites: Tektite Geochemistry and Stratigraphic Occurrence in East-Central Georgia

Other

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Chesapeake Bay Crater

Scientific paper

Georgia tektites ('georgiaites') were produced by the fusion of target rock in a late Eocene terrestrial impact event. Relative to other North American tektites, georgiaites are enriched in silica and potassium but depleted in all other major elements. Georgia tektites also have the lowest REE abundances and have lower incompatible trace element abundances. They have a mean potassium-argon age of 35.2 (±0.7) Ma and a mean δ18O value of +9.1 (±0.2)/perthous. Three endmembers (high Si, high Ti, high Fe) are required to account for the chemical range observed in the North American tektites. These endmembers may represent distinct lithologies at the Chesapeake Bay crater that were mixed to produce the tektites. The aerial distribution of the North American tektite strewnfield is defined by four sheets of microtektites that were emplaced according to relative depth of excavation at the source crater. The georgiaite stratigraphic horizon must occur near the base of the Dry Branch Formation. However, a search for the tektite parent stratum in open pit mines and GGS well cores revealed no evidence of the late Eocene impact. It is suggested that much of the upper Eocene deposits do not reflect a sequence of continuous deposition, and tektites/microtektites may have been eroded such that an intact horizon no longer exists. Georgiaites associated with the Miocene Altamaha Formation are not found in situ but were redistributed away from the source by fluvial activity and deposited as channel lag. Today, tektite source areas may be exposed in the following four river basins: Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ogeechee, and the Savannah.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Georgiaites: Tektite Geochemistry and Stratigraphic Occurrence in East-Central Georgia does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Georgiaites: Tektite Geochemistry and Stratigraphic Occurrence in East-Central Georgia, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Georgiaites: Tektite Geochemistry and Stratigraphic Occurrence in East-Central Georgia will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1294696

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.