Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004agufm.v21b0609c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2004, abstract #V21B-0609
Other
3625 Descriptive Mineralogy, 3662 Meteorites, 3934 Optical, Infrared, And Raman Spectroscopy
Scientific paper
We report Raman spectra of shocked plagioclase grains from the Lonar impact Crater of India. The Lonar Crater, located in the Buldana district of Maharashtra, India (19° 58'N, 76° 31'E), is an almost circular depression in the 65Ma old basalt flows of the Deccan Traps. Age estimates of this impact crater range from 10-50ka. Tektite and basalt samples were collected for this study from the rim of the crater, which is raised about 20 meters above the surrounding plains. For comparison, a Manicouagan maskelynite and an unaltered mid-oceanic ridge basalt with plagioclase laths were also analyzed. Polished thin sections of all these samples were first petrographically studied. The MORB plagioglase as well as the plagioclase from Lonar host-basalts show first order interference colors and distinct multiple lamellar twinning. The Manicouagan maskelynite is isotropic under crossed-polars. The Lonar tektite samples characteristically demonstrate spherules which are identified by their perfectly circular cross-section and isotropic nature. The spherules also contain fragments of the host basalt with plagioclase laths showing lamellar twinning. The groundmass within the spherules shows lath shaped plagioclase grains, most of which show varying degrees of isotropism due to maskelynitization. Raman scattering measurements were performed using the 514.5 nm line of an argon ion laser at an intensity of 40 kW/cm2. An inverted microscope (Nikon TE3000) with 50x objective (NA 0.55) was used for confocal imaging. A holographic notch filter removed residual laser scatter and the Raman scattering was detected by a silicon CCD at -90° C (Princeton Instruments Spec10-400R). Raman spectra were collected from ~250 cm-1 through 2000 cm-1. Raman spectra of crystalline unshocked plagioclase feldspars from the MORB and the Lonar host basalt show strongest peaks at 265 cm-1, 410 cm-1, 510 cm-1 and 1110 cm-1. The results remain the same for different points in a single grain but vary slightly from one grain to another, perhaps due to difference in composition. This observation is consistent with previously reported analyses of unshocked plagioclase feldspars. The Raman spectra of the maskelynites from the tektite samples show more flattened-out patterns. Earlier studies have reported the "disappearance" of peaks due to an increased luminescent background in experimentally shocked single plagioclase grains (Heymann and Herz, 1990, Cont. Min. Petr. 17, 38-44, 1990). Our study in multiple variably shocked plagioclase grains of the Lonar basalt impact breccia further corroborates these previous observations and reinstates the importance of Raman Spectroscopy in identifying shocked plagioclase grains.
Basu Asis R.
Chakrabarti Raj
Misra Santanu
Peterson Jeffrey
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