Meteorites: Flux With Time and Impact Effects (Geological Society Special Publication)

The Earth is bombarded constantly by material from space. Evidence of this bombardment comes both from craters that may form prominent features in the landscape, and samples of the impactors curated as meteorites. Since the impact of extraterrestrial material on Earth has the potential to be of more than local significance, and can lead to effects traceable in both the geological and biological record, it is important to obtain an accurate picture of the extent of bombardment. Several techniques have been used to derive estimates for the flux of extraterrestrial material to the Earth, both now and throughout the geological record. The methods used to assess meteorite fluxes and impact effects are diverse and involve scientists from different communities (geologists, geochemists, biologists and astronomers).The volume commences with description of the meteorite flux with time, covering both small bodies (including strewn fields and the problem of 'pairing' of meteorites) and large bodies capable of producing craters and cryptoexplosion features. The discussion includes the different ways in which the flux has been determined (from observational astronomy, meteorite collection statistics and the oretical calculations). Following on this comes the documentation of impacts in the geological record and their effects on the environment, focusing specifically on the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) boundary mass extinction event. Although the geophysical and geochemical evidence for a large impact at the end of the Cretaceous period is quite clear, the possible environmental consequences of an impact are still a matter of active debate, and the fossil record is by no means an unambiguous record of the mass extinction so frequently reported. Principle Authors: M. M. Grady, Natural History Museum, UK.E. M. Shoemaker, Lowell Observatory, USA.M. E. Bailey, Armagh Observatory, UK.W. M. Napier, Armagh Observatory, UK.D. W. Hughes, University of Sheffield, UK.P. A. Bland, Western Australian Museum, Australia.A. W. R. Bevan, Western Australian Museum of Natural Science, Australia.A. J. T. Jull, University of Arizona, USA.M. Zolensky, NASA Johnson Space Center, USA.R. A. F Grieve, Geological Survey of Canada, Canada.C. Koeberl, University of Vienna, Austria.A. R. Hildebrand, Geological Survey of Canada, Canada.P. K. H. Maguire, University of Leicester, UK.J. G. Spray, University of New Brunswick, Canada.I. Gilmour, The Open University, UK.N. MacLeod, The Natural History Museum, UK.A. C. Milner, The Natural History Museum, UK.A. Hallam, University of Birmingham, UK Also available: Tektites in the Geological Record: Showers of Glass from the Sky (Earth in View Series) - ISBN 1862390851 The History of Meteoritics And Key Meteorite Collections: Fireballs, Falls & Finds - ISBN 1862391947 The Geological Society of LondonFounded in 1807, the Geological Society of London is the oldest geological society in the world, and one of the largest publishers in the Earth sciences.The Society publishes a wide range of high-quality peer-reviewed titles for academics and professionals working in the geosciences, and enjoys an enviable international reputation for the quality of its work.The many areas in which we publish in include:-Petroleum geology-Tectonics, structural geology and geodynamics-Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleontology-Volcanology, magmatic studies and geochemistry-Remote sensing-History of geology-Regional geology guides This account covers the history of tektites, from prehistoric times, through the descriptions by the Chinese in medieval times, their discovery and description in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 18th century, Charles Darwin's encounter with a flanged button australite at what is now Albany, Western Australia, in the early 19th century, and the descriptions by Lacroix and others of further discoveries in Indo-China, the Ivory Coast and the USA, in the first half of the 20th century. F.E. Suess and R.H. Walcott first suggested a meteoritic provenance about 1900, and L.J. Spencer suggested ejection from terrestrial impact sites. Up to the 1950s, sophisticated research techniques were not available and speculation ruled, with many highly imaginative and fanciful hypotheses emerging. As the Apollo landing approached, many new sophisticated research methods were developed and research proliferated. Evidence for terrestrial origin accumulated at this time, although lunar origin remained popular, and it was confirmed by rejection of lunar provenance following the Apollo and Luna recovery missions. The favoured mode of origin became ejection from a minority of large-scale impact sites on the Earth, and the relationship between the Ries impact structure and moldavites, and between Bosumtwi Crater and Ivory Coast tektites, was firmly established. Then in the 1990s the Chesapeake Bay structure was discovered, the source of the North American tektites? Wind-tunnel experiments by D.R. Chapman showed that flanged-button australites were produced by ablation on descending through the atmosphere. Prolific researches, led by B.P. Glass, on deep-sea cores revealed the existence of microtektites, thus extending three of the strewn fields to large areas covered by sea. Kindred occurrences at Zhamanshin and Popigai in the USSR, in a Pliocene structure beneath the south Pacific Ocean, at the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) boundary in Haiti and Mexico, and within late Devonian sediments in Belgium and China are briefly described, as well as natural glasses in Libya and Tasmania, of obscure origin. There remain a number of unsolved questions - among them the source of the huge Australasian Strewn Field, the enigma of the manner of dispersal of large, irregular Muong Nong-type tektites, the relationship of microtektites to the larger tektites found on land, and the relationship of all tektites to the geology of the This book commences with the history of tektites, from mediaeval China, through finds in Czechoslovakia in the eighteenth century and Darwin's description while on the Beagle, to twentieth century finds in SE Asia, the Ivory Coast and USA. The four major strewn fields are described, followed by their extension by deep sea finds of microtektites and the recognition of irregular, large layered tektites in SE Asia. Possibly related occurrences in Libya and Tasmania and in older rock systems than the Cenozoic formations of the four strewn fields (including Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary formations) are also covered. Tektites are related to a few of the 150 known terrestrial impact studies.This book will appeal to scientists working in the broad field of meteorites and geologists, as well as astronomers and planetologists. Suitable for use as supporting reading for tertiary courses. Also Flux With Time and Impact Effects (Geological Society Special Publication) - ISBN 1862390177 Myth and Geology - Special Publication no 273 - ISBN 1862392161 The Geological Society of London Founded in 1807, the Geological Society of London is the oldest geological society in the world, and one of the largest publishers in the Earth sciences. The Society publishes a wide range of high-quality peer-reviewed titles for academics and professionals working in the geosciences, and enjoys an enviable international reputation for the quality of its work. The many areas in which we publish in -Petroleum geology -Tectonics, structural geology and geodynamics -Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleontology -Volcanology, magmatic studies and geochemistry -Remote sensing -History of geology -Regional geology guides This Special Publication has 24 papers with an international authorship, and is prefaced by an introductory overview which presents highlights in the field. The first section covers the acceptance by science of the reality of the falls of rock and metal from the sky, an account that takes the reader from BCE (before common era) to the nineteenth century. The second section details some of the worlds most important collections in museums - their origins and development. The Smithsonian chapter also covers the astonishingly numerous finds in the cold desert of Antarctica by American search parties. There are also contributions covering the finds by Japanese parties in the Yamato mountains and the equally remarkable discoveries in the hot deserts of Australia, North Africa, Oman and the USA. The other seven chapters take the reader through the revolution in scientific research on meteoritics in the later part of the twentieth century, including terrestrial impact cratering and extraordinary showers of glass from the sky; tektites, now known to be Earth-impact-sourced. Finally, the short epilogue looks to the future. The History of Meteoritics and Key Meteorite Collections should appeal to historians of science, meteoriticists, geologists, astronomers, curators and the general reader with an interest in science. Also History of Palaeobotany - ISBN 1862391742 The Earth Inside and Some Major Contributions to Geology in the Twentieth Century - ISBN 1862390967 Flux With Time and Impact Effects - ISBN 1862390177 During the last 35 years, the number of meteorites available for study has increased by an order of magnitude (from around 2000 to nearly 30 000). The largest contribution has come from meteorites recovered from the Antarctic ice (more than 20 000); however, since the late 1980s a significant number (more than 8000-9000) have come from so called 'hot' deserts. The most notable arid areas of the world for meteorite recoveries are the wider Sahara (Algeria, Libya, Niger and other unspecified localities in NW Africa), Roosevelt County in New Mexico, USA, the Nullarbor Region of Australia, and, more recently, the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Other areas in which meteorites have been found in numbers include the Namibian Desert in SW Africa and the Atacama Desert in Chile. This wealth of material has greatly extended our knowledge of early solar system materials by providing occasional samples of meteorites hitherto unknown to science, and allowing the construction of new groups of related meteorites. In addition, these accumulated collections have also allowed estimates to be made of the flux of meteorites to Earth with time, studies of their mass/type distribution on Earth and palaeoclimatic studies of the areas from which meteorites have been recovered. This paper documents the history of meteorite recovery from the 'hot' deserts of the world, and notes the effects that this abundance of material has had on the science of meteoritics

this Special Publication Has 24 Papers With An International Authorship, And Is Prefaced By An Introductory Overview Which Presents Highlights In The Field. The First Section Covers The Acceptance By Science Of The Reality Of The Falls Of Rock And Metal From The Sky, An Account That Takes The Reader From Bce (before Common Era) To The Nineteenth Century. The Second Section Details Some Of The World S Most Important Collections In Museums - Their Origins And Development. The Smithsonian Chapter Also Covers The Astonishingly Numerous Finds In The Cold Desert Of Antarctica By American Search Parties. There Are Also Contributions Covering The Finds By Japanese Parties In The Yamato Mountains And The Equally Remarkable Discoveries In The Hot Deserts Of Australia, North Africa, Oman And The Usa. The Other Seven Chapters Take The Reader Through The Revolution In Scientific Research On Meteoritics In The Later Part Of The Twentieth Century, Including Terrestrial Impact Cratering And Extraordinary Showers Of Glass From The Sky; Tektites, Now Known To Be Earth-impact-sourced. Finally, The Short Epilogue Looks To The Future.

the History Of Meteoritics And Key Meteorite Collections Should Appeal To Historians Of Science, Meteoriticists, Geologists, Astronomers, Curators And The General Reader With An Interest In Science.

"Tektites have always been regarded as mysterious objects, anomalous in terms of the geological record. They are not meteorites but their occurrence cannot be divorced from meteoritics. They are found only in certain areas of the Earth, known as strewn fields, the material being mostly projected melt from terrestrial rocks at a site of impact. The impact explosion processes producing the craters and related structures are still not fully understood, but studies of tektites can tell us much about the immense velocities and trajectories of the melt projected out from these sites. Tektites and related natural glass objects thus have relevance when considering the causes of palaeontological mass extinctions and in discussion of the effects of possible future impact by comet, meteorite or asteroid." "Tektites in the Geological Record summarizes all that is now known globally about these enigmatic natural glass bodies. It presents an all-encompassing view of tektites at a level accessible to geologists, geochemists, geophysicists, astronomers, planetologists and the general reader with an interest in science."--Jacket Cover 1 Frontmatter 2 Contents 6 Preface 9 Meteorites: their flux with time and impact effects 11 Long-term variations in the impact cratering rate on Earth 17 The flux of extraterrestrial material to the Earth: determination by astronomical and statistical techniques 21 11 21 19 28 31 39 The flux of meteorites to the Earth: determinations by terrestrial techniques 51 43 51 59 67 75 82 93 100 Craters and impactites 111 105 111 133 138 155 159 177 181 195 198 205 208 217 220 Environmental consequences: the palaeontological evidence relating to mass-extinctions 250 247 250 259 261 Index 277 Backcover 281 Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 9 Meteorites: their flux with time and impact effects......Page 11 Long-term variations in the impact cratering rate on Earth......Page 17 11......Page 21 19......Page 28 31......Page 39 43......Page 51 59......Page 67 75......Page 82 93......Page 100 105......Page 111 133......Page 138 155......Page 159 177......Page 181 195......Page 198 205......Page 208 217......Page 220 247......Page 250 259......Page 261 Index......Page 277 Backcover......Page 281 "The impact of extraterrestrial material on Earth can lead to effects traceable in both the geological and biological record. This study describes meteorite flux with time, covering small and large bodies capable of producing craters. The effects of impacts on the environment is also covered focusing specifically on the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction event." -- BOOK PUBLISHER WEBSITE