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Petrofabric examination of the main suevite of the Otting Quarry, Nördlinger Ries, Germany
Author(s) -
Bringemeier Detlef
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
meteoritics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 0026-1114
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-5100.1994.tb00607.x
Subject(s) - geology , impact crater , clastic rock , geochemistry , sedimentary rock , physics , astronomy
— Extensive textural studies have been carried out at the suevite in a quarry several kilometers east of the rim of the Nördlinger Ries crater. The composition, grain size and clast orientation of suevite on a 6 m high vertical section were quantified macroscopicaily, as well as microscopically. There exists a strong correlation between the texture of a clastic rock and the transport mechanism of its components. This correlation can be used to obtain information about the transport mechanism of the suevite components, which is fundamental to the understanding of the impact process. A consolidated main suevite enriched in “Flädle” and “Bomben” can be distinguished from a poorly consolidated base suevite, deprived of “Fädle” but relatively well sorted in clast grains. It has been proven that the glass clasts in the main suevite exhibit an inverse gradation, while the crystalline clasts in the lower half of the section show a normal gradation. Eighty one percent of the samples investigated possess orientated clasts ≥2 mm. From the results of this investigation, a predominantly horizontal transport of the main suevite is indicated for the area of investigation. This transport could occur in the form of a suevitie flow similar to that of a pyroclastic flow.