NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Experimental Simulation of Shock Reequilibration of Fluid Inclusions During Meteorite ImpactFluid inclusions are microscopic volumes of fluid trapped within minerals as they precipitate. Fluid inclusions are common in terrestrial minerals formed under a wide array of geological settings from surface evaporite deposits to kimberlite pipes. While fluid inclusions in terrestrial rocks are the rule rather than the exception, only few fluid inclusion-bearing meteorites have been documented. The rarity of fluid inclusions in meteoritic material may be explained in two ways. First, it may reflect the absence of fluids (water?) on meteorite parent bodies. Alternatively, fluids may have been present when the rock formed, but any fluid inclusions originally trapped on the parent body were destroyed by the extreme P-T conditions meteorites often experience during impact events. Distinguishing between these two possibilities can provide significant constraints on the likelihood of life on the parent body. Just as textures, structures, and compositions of mineral phases can be significantly altered by shock metamorphism upon hypervelocity impact, fluid inclusions contained within component minerals may be altered or destroyed due to the high pressures, temperatures, and strain rates associated with impact events. Reequilibration may occur when external pressure-temperature conditions differ significantly from internal fluid isochoric conditions, and result in changes in fluid inclusion properties and/or textures. Shock metamorphism and fluid inclusion reequilibration can affect both the impacted target material and the meteoritic projectile. By examining the effects of shock deformation on fluid inclusion properties and textures we may be able to better constrain the pressure-temperature path experienced by shocked materials and also gain a clearer understanding of why fluid inclusions are rarely found in meteoritic samples.
Document ID
20030067044
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Madden, M. E. Elwood
(Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. Blacksburg, VA, United States)
Hoerz, R. J.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Bodnar, R. J.
(Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. Blacksburg, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: Third International Conference on Large Meteorite Impacts
Subject Category
Geophysics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF EAR-01-25918
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Document Inquiry

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available