Origin of tektites

Other

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

7

Chemical Composition, Earth (Planet), Natural Satellites, Origins, Spatial Distribution, Tektites, Ablation, Gases, Rocks, Earth, Tektites, Origin, Source, Glass, Moon, Hypotheses, Composition, Morphology, Ablation, Impacts, Structure, Impact Effects, Alteration, Samples, Terrestrial, Crystallization, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Oxide, Parameters, Comparison

Scientific paper

The origin of tektites has been obscure because of the following dilemma. The application of physical principles to the data available on tektites points strongly to origin from one or more lunar volcanoes; but few glasses of tektite composition have hitherto been reported from the lunar samples. Instead, the lunar silicic glasses consist chiefly of a material very rich in K2O and poor in MgO. The ratio of K2O/MgO is higher in these glasses than in any tektites reported. The solution of the dilemma seems to come from the study of some recently discovered terrestrial deposits of tektite glass with high values of K2O/MgO at the Cretaceous Tertiary boundary. These glasses are found to be very vulnerable to crystallization into sandine or to alteration to smectite. These end products are known and are more abundant than any terrestrial deposits of tektite glass. It seems possible that, in fact, the moon produces tektite glass, mostly of the high K2O-low MgO type; but on Earth these deposits are destroyed. The much less abundant deposits with lower K and higher Mg are observed because they survive. Other objections to the lunar origin hypothesis appear to be answerable.

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

Origin of tektites 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 Origin of tektites, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Origin of tektites will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1681492

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