Shock melting of the Canyon Diablo impactor: Constraints from nickel-59 contents and numerical modeling

Science

Volumn 285, Issue 5424, 1999, Pages 85-88

  Schnabel, C ^a   Pierazzo, E ^b   Xue, S ^c   Herzog, G F ^a   Masarik, J ^d   Cresswell, R G ^e   Di Tada, M L ^e   Liu, K ^e   Fifield, L K ^e  

^a RUTGERS UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA   (United States)

^c UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND   (United States)

^d UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

^e AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

NICKEL;

IMPACT STRUCTURE; IRON METEORITE; METEORITE; NICKEL; SHOCK METAMORPHISM; SPHERULE; VAPORIZATION;

ARTICLE; ASTRONOMY; MASS SPECTROMETRY; MELTING POINT; METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA; PRIORITY JOURNAL; SHOCK; SPHEROID CELL;

UNITED STATES;

EID: 0033516501     PISSN: 00368075     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5424.85     Document Type: Article

References (41)

1. E. M. Shoemaker, in The Moon, Meteorites and Comets. The Solar System. Vol. 4, B. M. Middlehurst and G. P. Kuiper, Eds. (Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1963), pp. 301-336; in Structure of the Earth's Crust and Deformation of Rocks (Rept. 18, International Geological Congress, XXI Section, Copenhagen, 1960), pp. 418-434.
2. E. M. Shoemaker, in The Moon, Meteorites and Comets. The Solar System. Vol. 4, B. M. Middlehurst and G. P. Kuiper, Eds. (Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1963), pp. 301-336; in Structure of the Earth's Crust and Deformation of Rocks (Rept. 18, International Geological Congress, XXI Section, Copenhagen, 1960), pp. 418-434.
3. K. Nishiizumi et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55, 2699 (1991); F. M. Phillips et al., ibid., p. 2695; S. R. Sutton, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 3690 (1985).
4. K. Nishiizumi et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55, 2699 (1991); F. M. Phillips et al., ibid., p. 2695; S. R. Sutton, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 3690 (1985).
5. K. Nishiizumi et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55, 2699 (1991); F. M. Phillips et al., ibid., p. 2695; S. R. Sutton, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 3690 (1985).
6. D. Heymann, M. E. Lipschutz, B. Nielson, E. Anders, J. Geophys. Res. 71, 619 (1966).
7. E. S. Michlovich et al., ibid. 99, 23187 (1994).
8. W. R. Kelly, E. Holdsworth, C. B. Moore, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 38, 533 (1974). Relative to Canyon Diablo meteorites, the metallic portions of Canyon Diablo spheroids contain more Ni, whereas the oxidized portions contain less Ni. Mass balance calculations indicate a net depletion of iron from the spheroids, which Kelly et al. attributed to the loss of iron-rich oxides, mainly during the flight of the spheroids away from the site of the impact. Be and Al oxidize more readily than Fe. We expect their oxides to follow iron oxides and to undergo similar loss processes.
9. P. J. Blau, H. J. Axon, J. I. Goldstein, J. Geophys. Res. 78, 363 (1973).
10. H. H. Nininger, Arizona's Meteorite Crater (World, Denver, CO, 1956), pp. 81-114.
11. D. J. Roddy, Proceedings of the 9th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1978), pp. 3891-3930; J. B. Bryant et al., ibid., pp. 3931-3964; D. J. Roddy et al., Proceedings of the 11th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1980), pp. 2275-2308; R. M. Schmidt, ibid., pp. 2099-2128.
12. D. J. Roddy, Proceedings of the 9th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1978), pp. 3891-3930; J. B. Bryant et al., ibid., pp. 3931-3964; D. J. Roddy et al., Proceedings of the 11th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1980), pp. 2275-2308; R. M. Schmidt, ibid., pp. 2099-2128.
13. D. J. Roddy, Proceedings of the 9th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1978), pp. 3891-3930; J. B. Bryant et al., ibid., pp. 3931-3964; D. J. Roddy et al., Proceedings of the 11th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1980), pp. 2275-2308; R. M. Schmidt, ibid., pp. 2099-2128.
14. D. J. Roddy, Proceedings of the 9th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1978), pp. 3891-3930; J. B. Bryant et al., ibid., pp. 3931-3964; D. J. Roddy et al., Proceedings of the 11th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Pergamon, New York, 1980), pp. 2275-2308; R. M. Schmidt, ibid., pp. 2099-2128.
15. S. Xue et al., Meteoritics 30, 303 (1995).
16. M. Paul et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods B83, 275 (1993).
17. C. W. Mead, J. Littler, E. C. T. Chao, Am. Mineral. 50, 667 (1965).
18. 59Ni production in bodies with radii from 13 to 17 m (23) [J. Masarik and R. C. Reedy, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58, 5307 (1994); R. E. Prael and H. Lichtenstein, Los Alamos Report LA-UR-89-30141 (1989); J. F. Briesmeister, Los Alamos Report LA-12625-M (1993)].
19. 59Ni production in bodies with radii from 13 to 17 m (23) [J. Masarik and R. C. Reedy, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58, 5307 (1994); R. E. Prael and H. Lichtenstein, Los Alamos Report LA-UR-89-30141 (1989); J. F. Briesmeister, Los Alamos Report LA-12625-M (1993)].
20. 59Ni production in bodies with radii from 13 to 17 m (23) [J. Masarik and R. C. Reedy, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58, 5307 (1994); R. E. Prael and H. Lichtenstein, Los Alamos Report LA-UR-89-30141 (1989); J. F. Briesmeister, Los Alamos Report LA-12625-M (1993)].
21. terrestrial is the time of impact of the Canyon Diablo meteoroid, 0.05 million years ago (1).
22. -1 to the average impact speed for known Earth-crossing asteroids [C. F. Chyba, Icarus 92, 217 (1991); _, T. C. Owen, W.-H. Ip, in Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids, T. Gerhels, Ed. (Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1994), pp. 9-58; D. L. Rabinowitz, E. Bowell, E. M. Shoemaker, K. Muinonen, ibid., pp. 285-312].
23. -1 to the average impact speed for known Earth-crossing asteroids [C. F. Chyba, Icarus 92, 217 (1991); _, T. C. Owen, W.-H. Ip, in Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids, T. Gerhels, Ed. (Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1994), pp. 9-58; D. L. Rabinowitz, E. Bowell, E. M. Shoemaker, K. Muinonen, ibid., pp. 285-312].
24. -1 to the average impact speed for known Earth-crossing asteroids [C. F. Chyba, Icarus 92, 217 (1991); _, T. C. Owen, W.-H. Ip, in Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids, T. Gerhels, Ed. (Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1994), pp. 9-58; D. L. Rabinowitz, E. Bowell, E. M. Shoemaker, K. Muinonen, ibid., pp. 285-312].
25. S. L. Thompson, Tech. Rep. SAND77-1339 (Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM, 1979).
26. _ and H. S. Lauson, Tech. Rep. SC-RR-710714 (Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM, 1972).
27. E. Pierazzo, A. M. Vickery, H. J. Melosh, Icarus 127, 408 (1997).
28. H. J. Melosh, Impact Cratering (Oxford, New York, 1989).
29. J. D. Bass, B. Svendsen, T. J. Ahrens, in High-Pressure Research in Mineral Physics, M. H. Manghnani and Y. Syono, Eds. (Terra Scientific, Tokyo/American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 1987), pp. 393-402.
30. J. D. Bass, T. J. Ahrens, J. R. Abelson, T. Hua, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 21767 (1990).
31. The process of target decompression but not of meteoroid dispersal is described by S. W. Kieffer and C. H. Simonds [Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 16, 143 (1980)].
32. E. Pierazzo, D. A. Kring, H. J. Melosh, J. Geophys. Res. 103, 28607 (1998); E. Pierazzo and H. J. Melosh, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 165, 163 (1999).
33. E. Pierazzo, D. A. Kring, H. J. Melosh, J. Geophys. Res. 103, 28607 (1998); E. Pierazzo and H. J. Melosh, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 165, 163 (1999).
34. Cross Section Evaluation Working Group, Report BNL-NCS-44945 (ENDF-102) (Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 1995).
35. J. Klein et al., Lunar Planet. Sci. XXVI, 763 (1995).
36. 59Ni activities in an object with the average Ni content, 7.1 weight %, of Canyon Diablo meteorites [C. B. Moore, J. Littler, D. Nava, in Meteorite Research, P. M. Millman, Ed. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1969), pp. 738-748; B. Mason and E. Jarosewich, Mineral. Mag. 39, 204 (1973)]. This Ni content was also used in the nuclear modeling calculations. In addition, iron and nickel contents were measured by direct current atomic emission spectrometry (DC-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively, yielding the following values (weight %): MPIH-3: Fe 92.3, Ni 6.6; MPIH-266: Fe 92.5, Ni 6.2; 34.4340: Fe 93.8, Ni 6.6; 34.4367; Fe 91.8, Ni 6.5; III-3: Fe 75.1, Ni 14.0; IV-3: Fe 82.1, Ni 14.1; V-3: Fe 78.3, Ni 18.4. Relative uncertainties are 5% for both elements.
37. 59Ni activities in an object with the average Ni content, 7.1 weight %, of Canyon Diablo meteorites [C. B. Moore, J. Littler, D. Nava, in Meteorite Research, P. M. Millman, Ed. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1969), pp. 738-748; B. Mason and E. Jarosewich, Mineral. Mag. 39, 204 (1973)]. This Ni content was also used in the nuclear modeling calculations. In addition, iron and nickel contents were measured by direct current atomic emission spectrometry (DC-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively, yielding the following values (weight %): MPIH-3: Fe 92.3, Ni 6.6; MPIH-266: Fe 92.5, Ni 6.2; 34.4340: Fe 93.8, Ni 6.6; 34.4367; Fe 91.8, Ni 6.5; III-3: Fe 75.1, Ni 14.0; IV-3: Fe 82.1, Ni 14.1; V-3: Fe 78.3, Ni 18.4. Relative uncertainties are 5% for both elements.
38. M. Honda and J. R. Arnold, Handb. Phys. 46, 613 (1967).
39. J. H. Kaye, in Nuclear Chemistry Research at Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1961-1962 [Progress Report for U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Contract AT(30-1)-844, 1962], pp. 43-46.
40. The nuclear modeling calculations extend only to a depth of 2 m. Wiggles in the curve reflect statistical limitations set by the number of particles followed through the calculation. We used a polynomial fit to extrapolate the production rates to depths greater than 2 m. The data points have been placed on the curve at the depths inferred from the modeling calculations.
41. We thank R. Clarke Jr. for sample N3311; T. Kirsten for Canyon Diablo samples MPIH-3 and MPIH-266; M. E. Lipschutz for Canyon Diablo samples 34.430 and 34.4367; C. Moore for spheroids; and J. Klein, A. Hildebrand, and two anonymous referees for helpful contributions to this work. Supported in part by NASA grants NAG5-4327 and NACW-5159 and U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FG03-96ER14676.