Kalkkop Crater, Cape Province, South Africa: Confirmation of impact origin using osmium isotope systematics

Details Kalkkop Crater, Cape Province, South Africa: Confirmation of impact origin using osmium isotope systematics Kalkkop Crater, Cape Province, South Africa: Confirmation of impact origin using osmium isotope systematics

Feb 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994gecoa..58.1229k&link_type=abstract

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 58, Issue 3, pp.1229-1234

Computer Science

4

Scientific paper

The Kalkkop structure, a circular depression with a diameter of 640 m, is situated in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. In 1992, a bore hole was drilled in the center of the crater to a depth of 151.8 m. To assess a possible impact origin of this structure, the abundances and isotopic ratios of osmium and rhenium were measured in breccias and in sandstones and shales derived from the basement. The basement rocks show rhenium and osmium abundances and isotopic compositions of osmium and neodymium ( 187 Os / 188 Os = 0.61 to 0.92 and Nd = -6 to -7) that are typical for continental crust. One of the breccia samples shows a significantly elevated osmium content and a much lower ( 187 Os / 188 Os ratio of about 0.215 (( 187 Os / 188 Os RATIO = 1.79). This ratio is much closer to meteoritic compositions than to crust, indicating the presence of about 0.05% of an extraterrestrial component in the breccia. This is the first time that osmium isotope systematics have been used to confirm the impact origin of a crater structure, and demonstrates their sensitivity for impact studies.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Kalkkop Crater, Cape Province, South Africa: Confirmation of impact origin using osmium isotope systematics 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 Kalkkop Crater, Cape Province, South Africa: Confirmation of impact origin using osmium isotope systematics, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Kalkkop Crater, Cape Province, South Africa: Confirmation of impact origin using osmium isotope systematics will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1015872