Anatomy of impactites and shocked zircon grains from Dhala reveals Paleoproterozoic meteorite impact in the Archean basement rocks of Central India

Date

2018

Authors

Li, S.
Keerthy, S.
Santosh, M.
Singh, S.
Deering, C.
Satyanarayanan, M.
Praveen, M.
Aneeshkumar, V.
Indu, G.
Anilkumar, Y.

Editors

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Type:

Journal article

Citation

Gondwana Research, 2018; 54:81-101

Statement of Responsibility

Shan-Shan Li, S. Keerthy, M. Santosh, S.P. Singh, C.D. Deeringe, M. Satyanarayanan, M.N. Praveeng, V. Aneeshkumar, G.K. Indub, Y. Anilkumar, K.S. Sajinkumar

Conference Name

Abstract

The Dhala structure in Central India has been a topic of global interest ever since the report of an ancient meteorite impact event there. Here we present an integrated study of the petrology, geochemistry, and zircon U-Pb zircon geochronology and rare earth element geochemistry from the structure along with and an analysis of the grain morphology and textural features. Our results provide new insight into the nature and timing of the impact event. The zircon grains from the impactites show textures typical of shock deformation which we correlate with the impact event. We also identified the presence of reidite based on Raman spectroscopy and characteristics such as a persistent planar fracture, bright backscattered electron images, and a lack of zoning, which are all diagnostic features of this mineral formed during an impact event. Our zircon U-Pb data from the various rock types in the basement show magma emplacement at ca. 2.5–2.47 Ga, and the Pb loss features suggest that the impact might have occurred between ca. 2.44 Ga and ca. 2.24 Ga. Another minor group of late Paleoproterozoic zircons with concordant ages of 1826 and 1767 Ma in the brecciated quartz reefs along the margins of the impact crater from unfractured grains represent an younger thermal event after the impact. The rare-earth element patterns of the Neoarchean to early Paleoproterozoic zircon population reflect the effects of hydrothermal alteration on a peralkaline host rock. The abnormally high concentration of K2O in the impactite (up to 15.91 wt%), is also consistent with metasomatic alteration associated with the impact event.

School/Discipline

Dissertation Note

Provenance

Description

Access Status

Rights

© 2017 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

License

Grant ID

Call number

Persistent link to this record