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Angotti thesis.pdf (2.63 MB)

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Microtektites and other glasses from new sites in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

Angotti, Lauren Elizabeth
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5022-0608
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1573056026063929

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Geological Sciences.
Glassy spherules from three Transantarctic Mountain sediments were geochemically analyzed and at two of these sites (Mt. Raymond (RY) in the Grosvenor Mountains and Meteorite Moraine (MM) in Walcott Neve, in the Beardmore Glacier region of Antarctica) Australasian microtektites were discovered. The microtektites were identified based on their pale yellow appearance and confirmed geochemically; they have high concentrations of silica (SiO2 = 60.0 +/- 6.9 wt%) and alumina (Al2O3 = 23.0 +/- 4.0 wt%) and all have K2O/Na2O > 1, characteristic of microtektites and distinct from spherules of meteoritic origin. Additionally, the trace element pattern matches the upper continental crust with enrichments in refractory elements and depletions in volatile elements, most likely as a result of melting and vaporization of the source material. The presence of Australasian microtektites in RY sediment confirms the recent Australasian strewnfield extension to Antarctica (Folco et al., 2008) and the presence of highly-depleted microtektites (Van Ginneken et al., 2018). In addition to microtektites, thousands of chondritic spherules and a few unique cosmic spherules were identified in RY, MM, and Jacobs Nunatak (JA) sediments. These sites are evidently successful cosmic dust and impact debris collectors, and thus their usefulness in recording influx events is explored.
Ralph Harvey, Dr. (Committee Chair)
James Van Orman, Dr. (Committee Member)
Steven Hauck II, Dr. (Committee Member)
64 p.
Geochemistry; Geology
Australasian; microtektites; tektites; Antarctica; Transantarctic; impact debris; V-type; cosmic spherules; cosmic dust; micrometeorite; CAT; high Ca-Al; CAI; volatile; Beardmore Glacier; Walcott Neve; Grosvenor; Mount Raymond;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Angotti, L. E. (2020). Microtektites and other glasses from new sites in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica [Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1573056026063929

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Angotti, Lauren. Microtektites and other glasses from new sites in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. 2020. Case Western Reserve University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1573056026063929.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Angotti, Lauren. "Microtektites and other glasses from new sites in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica." Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1573056026063929

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1573056026063929
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© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.