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Experimental approach to generate shock veins in single crystal olivine by shear melting
Author(s) -
Langenhorst Falko,
POIRIER JeanPaul,
DEUTSCH Alexander,
HORNEMANN Ulrich
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
meteoritics and planetary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.09
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 1086-9379
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-5100.2002.tb00809.x
Subject(s) - olivine , shear (geology) , crystallization , shear zone , geology , meteorite , shock (circulatory) , mineralogy , crystal (programming language) , microstructure , chondrite , melting point , materials science , composite material , thermodynamics , petrology , seismology , medicine , physics , tectonics , astronomy , computer science , programming language
— A shock experiment has been devised to produce large shear in a single crystal sample of olivine. The recovered sample exhibits macroscopic shear faults resembling shock veins in ordinary chondrites. Examination with transmission electron microscopy reveals a high density of dislocations in the bulk olivine. The shear faults appear as thin veins containing small grains of olivine and pockets of glass. The microstructure and composition of the material in the veins point to fractional crystallization of a melt. An order of magnitude calculation is consistent with the idea that the veins were produced by shear melting. These results support the view that shock veins in meteorites are the result of shear heating rather than of pressure heterogeneities.