Unusual melt rocks from meteorite impact

(first published on www.impact-structures.com in 2004)

by Kord Ernstson1, Uli Schüssler2, Ferran Claudin3 and Michael Hiltl4

Abstract. - We show and discuss unusual impact melt rocks from the sedimentary target of the
Azuara/Rubielos de la Cérida multiple impact in Spain: a silicate melt rock originating from the
melting of shale, a carbonate-phosphate melt rock showing liquid immiscibility of carbonate
and phosphate melt, carbonate and sulfate melt rocks, a carbonate-psilomelane melt rock, and
amorphous carbon particles in a microbreccia probably being carbon glass that has originated
from the shock melting of Cretaceous coal.
_________________________________________________________________________________
1.Fakultät für Geowissenschaften der Universität Würzburg, Pleicherwall 1, D-97070 Würzburg,
Germany. kernstson@ernstson.de
2. Institut für Mineralogie der Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
uli.schuessler@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
3. IES Giola, Llinars del Vallès. Barcelona-08450, Spain. fclaudin@pie.xtec.es
4. Carl Zeiss NTS GmbH, Carl-Zeiss-Str. 56, D-73447 Oberkochen, Germany. MHiltl@gmx.de

Introduction

By definition [1], an impact melt rock is a crystalline rock that, in a meteorite impact
event, has solidified from shock-produced impact melt and that contains variable
amounts of rock fragments. On the other hand, shocked impact rocks that contain
impact melt particles in a clastic matrix (clastic matrix = matrix of fragmental rock) are
termed suevites or suevite breccias. Both impact melt rocks and suevites are well
known from many impact structures which were formed in targets of crystalline
basement rocks or in mixed targets of sedimentary rocks overlying crystalline
basement rocks. In these craters, melt rocks and suevites may form more or less
thick layers (melt sheets, suevite layers) that can normally be easily recognized (e.g.,
in the Mistastin, Vredefort, Lappajärvi, Sääksjärvi, Ries, Mien, Rochechouart impact
structures, and in many others) and that are the source for collectors and collections
of impactites. Impact structures in purely sedimentary targets, to the contrary, in
general lack these impact melt rock and suevite layers, which has especially been
pointed out by Kieffer & Simmonds [2]. They suggest that in sedimentary targets the
high amount of volatiles (water vapor from shocked porous rocks, carbon dioxide
from shocked carbonate rocks) prevents the formation of coherent melt masses.
Instead, the shock-produced impact melt is finely dispersed by the volatiles to form
microscopic glass particles only. In our opinion, there may be an additional reason for
the apparent lack of melt rocks and suevites in impact structures in sedimentary
targets. The rocks do exist, but they are not recognized as such. This may especially
happen when the sedimentary target is composed to a large extent of carbonate
rocks (limestones, dolomites) or/and evaporites (gypsum, anhydrite, chlorides).
Carbonate rocks, e.g., are known to melt like other rocks, but the produced carbonate
melt cannot be chilled to form glass, because it very rapidly crystallizes to form again
a carbonate rock. Since the textures may show rough similarities, these crystallized
carbonate melts may on cursory inspection be easily confused with normal
limestones or soil formations as, e.g., calcrete (caliche). Gypsum, exposed to high
shock-related temperatures, is transferred to anhydrite by loss of crystal water.
Anhydrite may melt under complex conditions [3], but probably the melt upon cooling
and in contact with water will crystallize again to gypsum. Likewise, during impacts in
sedimentary, i.e. volatile-rich targets with variable lithology, high shock pressures and
temperatures may lead to further complex melting and cooling processes and, in the
end, to melt rocks of very peculiar composition and texture.

Here, we report on some unusual melt-bearing rocks and impact melt rocks that were
produced in the Mid-Tertiary multiple impact on the Iberian Peninsula [, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The multiple impact comprises the 35-40 km-diameter Azuara structure, the Rubielos
de la Cérida 40 km x 80 km impact crater chain, and suspected additional craters of
smaller size. Exceptional with regard to the large crater diameters, the cosmic
projectiles impacted a purely sedimentary target of roughly 10 km thickness. The
unusual melt rocks to be described are related with the sedimentary target and partly
with the contribution of carbonate and evaporite rocks. The suevite breccias
abundantly exposed in the Azuara/Rubielos de la Cérida impact region [4, 6] will not
be considered here.

Silicate melt rock

Many of the unusual melt rocks are intermixed in a polymictic megabreccia exposed
along the road between the junction to Cutanda and the village of Barrachina in the
Rubielos de la Cérida impact basin [6]. The polymictic megabreccia is assumed to
have been formed in the impact cratering process by the deformation and intermixing
of large rock complexes of different lithology (Fig. 1)
Fig. 1. Two aspects of the megabreccia in the Rubielos de la Cérida impact basin. To the left:
several blocks of different lithology in contact. A microbreccia exhibiting apophyses has been
injected into the middle block. To the right: A body of silicate melt rock (the light ribbon)
embedded in the megabreccia.

The silicate melt rocks occur as porous, fine-grained, whitish to yellowish blocks of
variable size in a range of decimeters up to 1 - 2 meters (Fig. 1B), and they consist
mainly of a milky white glass which forms tiny spheroids and lens-shaped bodies
(Figs. 2, 3).

Fig. 2. The glass of the silicate impact melt rock under the microscope. The field is 15 mm
wide.
Fig. 3. SEM images of the impact glass.

The glass is estimated to make up more than 90% of the rock. This is typically shown
by a distinct amorphous glass “hump“ occurring in x-ray powder diffractograms.
Some relics of plagioclase, quartz and mica within the glass masses are indicated by
respective reflection peaks. Grains of quartz, twinned plagioclase and occasional
mica are also found in thin sections of the glass matrix. In rare cases, the quartz
fragments show planar deformation features (PDFs) and, more frequently, multiple
sets of planar fractures (PFs), both indicative of impact shock. Feldspar grains show
isotropization in the form of multiple sets of isotropic twinning lamellae and isotropic
spots (diaplectic crystals), and they have sometimes become almost completely
isotropic (diaplectic glass), indicating shock peak pressures of the order of 30 GPa
(300 kbar). From a microprobe geochemical analysis we conclude that the glass has
originated from the melting of shales very common in the sedimentary target. An
interpretation of the glass to be volcanic ash as claimed by local geologists and, e.g.,
M. R. Rampino (written communication), can basically be excluded.

Carbonate-phosphate melt rock

A very special kind of former melt was found also within the Barrachina megabreccia
of the Rubielos de la Cérida impact basin [5]. The whitish melt rock (Fig. 4) is
composed of irregular spheroids up to 4 mm in size, which are embedded within an
Fig. 4. The white carbonate-phosphate melt rock embedded in a breccia composed of marl and
limestone.

Fig. 5. The carbonate-phosphate melt rock in close-up. Calcitic amoebic bodies are floating in
phosphate glass (white). The field is 30 mm wide.

extremely fine-grained glass matrix (Fig. 5). In thin section (Fig. 6) and SEM image
(Fig. 7), the spheroids turn out to be globular to amoeba-like calcite particles. They
are coarse-grained in their centers and display decreasing grain size towards the
rims. Regularly, a perpendicular grain orientation towards the rims is observed. The
contact with the matrix is extremely fine-grained.

Fig. 6. Photomicrograph of the carbonate-phosphate melt rock. The amoebae-like bodies

composed of calcite crystals are surrounded by Ca-P glass that under crossed polarizers
proves to be optically isotropic. Note the increasing size of the crystals towards the center of
the calcitic bodies. Width of the field is 6 mm.

Fig. 7. SEM image of the contact between amoebic calcite and phosphate glass in the
carbonate-phosphate melt rock.

The glass matrix mainly consists of CaO and P2O5 with minor contents of F, S, Cl
and NaO. Locally, a strong enrichment of Ba and S at the expense of the CaO and
P2O5 content is observed. In part, the Ca-P glass is recrystallized to form apatite, as
verified also by x-ray powder diffraction analysis. A similar melt rock has been
reported for the suevite of the Ries crater. In the suevite, the calcite particles have
identical structure and composition compared with the melt rocks of Barrachina and
are interpreted as quench products of a carbonate melt [8]. Different from the
Barrachina melt rocks, the matrix in the Ries samples is silicate glass as a result of
carbonate-silicate liquid immiscibility. In our case, the melt rock displays a small-
scaled immiscibility of coexisting former carbonate melt and phosphate melt.

Sulfate melt rock

In the Barrachina megabreccia in the Rubielos de la Cérida impact basin, white clasts
are embedded (Fig. 8) that consist of highly porous material (dry-rock densities of
only 1.4 g/cm! were measured). Only a few rock fragments are interspersed (Fig. 9).
Chemically, the white material is nearly pure CaSO4. In thin section, the matrix may
show flow texture but is otherwise not resolved by the optical microscope. SEM
images (Fig. 10) show a distinct vesicular texture obviously related with the high
porosity. Mineral fragments, mostly quartz and feldspar, are partly strongly shocked
(PDFs, diaplectic glass). Shock effects occur also in minerals of the interspersed rock
fragments.

Fig. 8. Block of probable sulfate melt rock embedded in the megabreccia.

Fig. 9. Clast of highly porous calcium sulfate probably crystallized from a sulfate melt. Note the
enclosed quartzite fragments.
Fig. 10. SEM images of the sawed surface of probable sulfate melt rock. Note the vesicular
texture.

Obviously, the CaSO4 material is not a chemical sediment (gypsum, anhydrite), and a
pedogenic origin can clearly be excluded. With respect to the high porosity, the flow
texture and the strong shock effects, we suggest the clasts to have formed by
crystallization from a shock-produced sulfate melt. The melting point of anhydrite is
1,750 K, a temperature which must have been exceeded to produce the silicate melt
in the Barrachina megabreccia (see above, and [6]). Crystallization from an anhydrite
melt is also discussed for material in suevite breccias from the Chicxulub impact
structure [9] and in impactites from the Haughton impact structure [10].

Carbonate melt rocks

Abundant relics of former carbonate melt are proposed to occur in the Azuara impact
structure and the Rubielos de la Cérida companion impact basin [6]. They are found
in the form of decimeter and meter-sized blocks, as dikes cutting sharply through the
country rock (Fig. 10), and as highly porous, foamy and feathery material within
brecciated rocks. As already mentioned, carbonate melt cannot be chilled to form
glass, but rapidly crystallizes to carbonate again Therefore, the origin from a melt can
only indirectly be suggested by the occurrence of skeletal, dendritic crystallites,
vesicular texture and related features. Typical carbonate rocks which we interpret to
have crystallized from a carbonate melt are shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13.
Fig. 11. A dike of highly porous carbonate melt rock cutting through Jurassic limestones.
Fig. 12. Highly vesicular skeletal carbonate rock probably originating from the decomposition
and melting of a limestone or dolomite.

Fig. 13. SEM images of the relics of carbonate melt. Note the vesicular felted texture (to the
left) and the dendritic crystallites (to the right). SEM analyses establish calcium carbonate and
traces of quartz.

Carbonate-psilomelane melt rock

The southwestern rim area of the Azuara impact structure is characterized by a

variety of quite different impact breccia dikes. Close to the village of Monforte de
Moyuela, an outcrop was found where autochthonous Muschelkalk dolomite is
crosscut by a dike of dark material (Figs. 14, 15; UTM coordinates of the outcrop are
06 67 200/ 45 46 300; also see [11]).
Fig. 14. A dike of carbonate-psilomelane melt rock cutting through Muschelkalk dolomite.
Fig. 15. Section across the dike of carbonate-psilomelane melt rock (m) . d = dolomite host
rock, c = seam of calcite grown perpendicular to the wall of the dike.

Fig. 16. Photomicrograph of the carbonate-phosphate melt rock. Note the many gas vesicles
(gv). The field is 1 mm wide.

As shown by thin sections under the microscope, the dike consists of a light matrix of
carbonate minerals, hosting a high amount of black spherical to amoebic particles
(Fig. 16) which show gel-like layered structure in the reflective light. The rim (c in Fig.
15) towards the dolomite country rock (d in Fig. 15) is characterized by pure
carbonate crystals having grown perpendicular to the wall of the dike. A typical
feature of the dike is the high amount of gas vesicles (Fig. 16). The gel-structured
black particles turned out to be ore minerals containing Mn and Ba as major elements
beside highly variable amounts of light components like H O. After HCl treatment and
2

removal of the carbonate matrix of a black vein sample, the remnant in an x-ray
powder diffractogram was identified as a very imperfectly crystallized psilomelane (a
hydrated manganese oxide). At first glance the calcite-psilomelane composition of
the dike may be explained by hydrothermal or weathering fluids having circulated
through the rocks. Two features, however, do not really match this point of view:
-- The very high amount of gas vesicles is totally uncommon for hydrothermal dikes
and can only be explained by rapid melting-cooling processes with incomplete
degassing of the melt.
-- The growth of the calcite crystals (c in Fig. 15) perpendicular to the wall of the dike
again clearly points to crystal growth from a melt, perpendicular to the cooling front.
Similar calcite growth has been observed in amoebic carbonate particles embedded
in phosphate or silicate glass matrix of suevite samples from the Rubielos de la
Cérida and the Nördlinger Ries impact structures, respectively (see above,
Carbonate-phosphate melt rock). This texture has been interpreted as the result of a
quench crystallization from a carbonate melt. As a conclusion, the psilomelane-
calcite dike turns out to be a former manganese-bearing carbonate melt which was
injected into cracks at the crater floor and then rapidly cooled. Probably the
psilomelane is secondary and formed by replacing a primary Mn mineral. Mn, partly
in minable quantities, is not uncommon in the target rocks of the impact structure.

Melt rock from Almonacid de la Cuba

The peculiar rock shown in Fig. 17 is exposed near the village of Almonacid de la
Cuba at the NE ring of the Azuara impact structure (UTM coordinates 6 84 300, 45
73 900) and is so far unique with respect to occurrence, composition and texture. A
comparable rock is completely unknown in the stratigraphic record of northern Spain.
Within a dense to porous and even foamy greyish carbonate matrix, components of
snow-white color are embedded, which may be extremely vesicular as
Fig. 17. Sawed surface of the Almonacid de la Cuba impactite.

shown in the photograph (Fig. 17). The rock forms an extensive deposit, which has in
detail been investigated by Tanja Katschorek [12]. From field work and petrographic
analyses, she concludes that the deposit has resulted from an expanded, turbulent,
and dilute flow by inclusion of considerable amounts of carbonate melt, similar to
volcanic surges. The matrix may have solidified completely from a carbonate melt
giving the rock the character of an impact melt rock [1].

Amorphous carbon in a microbreccia - solidified from a carbon melt?

In the Barrachina megabreccia referred to above, blocks of a fine-grained

microbreccia (Fig. 1) are locally intercalated. The microbreccia consists of loosely
cemented carbonate and, subordinate, quartz particles. Small black clasts
measuring between 0.5 and 2 mm are widespread and striking. Two kinds of these
black components can be distinguished. The first kind is ordinary charcoal which
under the microscope shows the typical charcoal structure. The second kind of black
particles is very hard, occurs in very irregular forms and has a surface gleaming like
glass (Fig. 18). Qualitative microprobe element scans show the particles to be
composed of carbon and oxygen as the only major components. Additional elements
are Ca and S in varying concentrations. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the
particles resulted in diffractograms without any reflections, but showing a typical
amorphous glass “hump“.
Fig. 18. Particles of amorphous carbon in an unknown compound with oxygen. Scale bar 1 mm.
Fig. 19. SEM image of an amorphous carbon particle from the Rubielos de la Cérida
microbreccia.

Fig. 20. SEM image of a fracture surface of an amorphous carbon particle. Note the lancet
markings typical of glass fracture.

Carbon in elemental form has repeatedly been described from impact structures
[e.g., 13, 14]. As has been shown by hypervelocity impact experiments [13], a
possible source of elemental carbon is carbonate rocks, which could also apply to the
carbonate-rich target of the Rubielos de la Cérida structure. As a further possibility
and taking into account the glass-like appearance (Figs. 18, 19, 20) and the irregular
shapes of the particles, the amorphous carbon may be quenched carbon melt from
extremely shocked coal of the Cretaceous Utrillas lignite deposits in the target.
Carbon melts at temperatures of roughly 3,800 K which, in a hypervelocity meteorite
impact, is exceeded at highest shock levels. From stratigraphical considerations, the
lignite layers could have been deposited in the very center of the Rubielos de la
Cérida structure. The role of remarkable contents of oxygen detected in the carbon
particles is still unclear. Compounds of carbon and oxygen do not occur in solid state.
We propose the possibility that the carbon may occur as fullerenes which are able to
trap gases within their cages. Fullerenes have been reported in relation with the
Sudbury impact structure and the Permian-Triassic boundary [15, 16].

Conclusions

We have presented and discussed seven different rocks from the area of the
Azuara/Rubielos de la Cérida impact. They have either been solidified from a melt, or
they contain glass that has been quenched from a melt. However, not all aspects of
their formation are completely understood which is related with the generally poor
knowledge of the formation of carbonate and sulfate melts in the impact cratering
process. The rocks prove to be rather inconspicuous and unprepossessing, and for
rock hunters they may be the Ugly Ducklings among the impactites. That is why they
probably have never been recognized by geologists previous to the discovery of the
large impact event. Without closer inspection, the mostly whitish, yellowish and
greyish rocks have either not been given further consideration, or they have been
confused with common carbonate rocks or soil formations like calcrete (caliche), and
dike-like occurrences of melt rocks and melt-bearing rocks were regarded as karst
features, e.g., by local geologists. From our experiences in the Azuara and Rubielos
de la Cérida impact area with rocks originating from the melting of sediments we
suggest that in impact structures in sedimentary i.e. volatile-rich targets, there may
generally be more impact melt rocks than previously assumed. In impact research,
this idea gains acceptance only hesitantly (see e.g., [17].

References

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