The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
The Atacamaites were discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile.
They are black and glassy objects of about 1 cm, they were formed following an impact about 7.8 million years ago.
Their small size, heterogeneity, state of oxidation and level of contamination distinguish them from tektites, which is why a study conducted by J. Gattacceca, Bertrand Devouard, Jean-Alix J-A Barrat, Pierre Rochette, M.L. Balestrieri, G. Bigazzi, G. Ménard, F. Moustard, E. dos Santos, R. Scorzelli, proposes to name them “tektoids”.
The impactor was an iron meteorite, most probably of the IIAB group.
About 12,000 years ago, a large cometary explosion melted a vast area of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The heat was so important that the sandy soil was transformed into silicate glass.
The minerals discovered in the Pica Glas correspond to the composition of the material brought back to Earth by the NASA Stardust mission, from the comet Wild 2. L’analyse a permis de découvrir des minéraux que l’on trouve dans les météorites :
Cubanite, troilite and inclusions rich in calcium and aluminum.
The dating of the impact about 12000 years ago, coincides with the mass extinction in South America of large mammals.
This current theory can however be contested by new theories.
About 12,000 years ago, a large cometary explosion melted a vast area of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The heat was so important that the sandy soil was transformed into silicate glass.
The minerals discovered in the Pica Glas correspond to the composition of the material brought back to Earth by the NASA Stardust mission, from the comet Wild 2. L’analyse a permis de découvrir des minéraux que l’on trouve dans les météorites :
Cubanite, troilite and inclusions rich in calcium and aluminum.
The dating of the impact about 12000 years ago, coincides with the mass extinction in South America of large mammals.
This current theory can however be contested by new theories.
About 12,000 years ago, a large cometary explosion melted a vast area of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The heat was so important that the sandy soil was transformed into silicate glass.
The minerals discovered in the Pica Glas correspond to the composition of the material brought back to Earth by the NASA Stardust mission, from the comet Wild 2. L’analyse a permis de découvrir des minéraux que l’on trouve dans les météorites :
Cubanite, troilite and inclusions rich in calcium and aluminum.
The dating of the impact about 12000 years ago, coincides with the mass extinction in South America of large mammals.
This current theory can however be contested by new theories.
