Studies of an artificially shock-loaded H group chondrite

SEM and TEM, together with thermoluminescence (TL), are used to study five samples of the naturally unshocked Kernouve (H6) meteorite that were shock-loaded to pressures of 70, 165, 270, and 390 kbar. Attention is given to olivine and orthopyroxene deformation mechanisms at these pressure levels. The microhardness of the kamacite in the samples increases with shock pressure, and it is noted that annealed kamacite displays incipient crystallinity, while alpha-martensite and taenite sometimes contain slip lines. At pressures over 200 kbar, there was a systematic decrease in both natural TL and TL sensitivity. Changes in the ratio of these two values for various regions of the TL glow curve suggest that two processes were effective during shock: thermal drainage of electron traps and a reduction in the effective trap density. Thermal effects with widespread annealing are noted in the case of a sample subjected to shock pulse.