Abstract
Amphibole-bearing gneiss fragments are common in the impact breccias of the Xiuyan crater, China. Three kinds of amphibole-bearing gneiss fragments with different shock-metamorphic levels have been identified. Shock-metamorphic features of amphiboles in these gneisses were investigated in situ by optical microscope, electron microprobe, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Amphiboles in the weakly shocked gneiss (shock pressure less than 10 GPa) basically remain intact. Amphiboles in the moderately shocked gneiss (shock pressure range between 35 and 45 GPa) show strong deformation, reduced optical interference color, and partial loss of OH−. In the strongly shocked gneiss (shock pressure above 50 GPa), amphiboles are completely melted and dendritic pyroxenes crystallize from the melt. The formation of dendritic pyroxenes shows nearly complete loss of water in the amphibole melt at shock-induced high temperature above 1,500 °C. The occurrence of both diopside and pigeonite dendrites crystallized in the same amphibole melt shows inhomogenous melt composition and rapid cooling of the melt.
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