Cathodoluminescence and Raman Spectroscopic Characterization of Experimentally Shocked Plagioclase

Abstract

Cathodoluminescence (CL) spectrum of plagioclase shows four emission bands at around 350, 420, 570 and 750 nm, which can be assigned to Ce3+, Al–O−–Al or Ti4+, Mn2+ and Fe3+ centers, respectively. Their CL intensities decrease with an increase in experimentally shock pressure. The peak wavelength of the emission band related to Mn2+ shifts from 570 nm for unshocked plagioclase to 630 nm for plagioclase shocked above 20 GPa. The Raman spectrum of unshocked plagioclase has pronounced peaks at around 170, 280, 480 and 510 cm−1, whereas Raman intensities of all peaks decrease with an increase in shock pressure. This result suggests that shock pressure causes destruction of the framework structure in various extents depending on the pressure applied to plagioclase. This destruction is responsible for a decrease in CL intensity and a peak shift of yellow emission related to Mn2+. An emission band at around 380 nm in the UV‐blue region is observed in only plagioclase shocked above 30 GPa, whereas it has not been recognized in the unshocked plagioclase. Raman spectroscopy reveals that shock pressure above 30 GPa converts plagioclase into maskelynite. It implies that an emission band at around 380 nm is regarded as a characteristic CL signal for maskelynite. CL images of plagioclase shocked above 30 GPa show a dark linear stripe pattern superimposed on bright background, suggesting planer deformation features (PDFs) observed under an optical microscope. Similar pattern can be identified in Raman spectral maps. CL and Raman spectroscopy can be expected as a useful tool to evaluate shock pressure induced on the plagioclase in terrestrial and meteoritic samples.