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Impacts and the Early Earth pp 229–247Cite as

Impact diamonds as indicators of shock metamorphism in strongly-reworked Pre-Cambrian impactites

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences ((LNEARTH,volume 91))

Abstract

Pre-Cambrian shields and platforms occupy a large part of the Earth's continental surface. The crystalline rocks of these megastructures are the result of intense metamorphic, igneous and tectonic transformations. It is often difficult to recognize evidence of the past sedimentary, volcanic and igneous activities here. Even more problematic is the identification of old impact structures within Pre-Cambrian shields and platforms. Such pre-metamorphic structures are still unknown in strongly reworked crystalline rocks. However, as the investigations of the Moon and of other celestial bodies show, the impact events at that time played an important role in the evolution of the Earth's crust, including the earliest geologically recorded stages of its development. In searching for evidence of old impact events, which were potentially able to survive the intensive geological activity of the Earth, we would like to highlight the presence of impact diamonds, and to consider, in particular, the possibility of their preservation after exposure to high-grade regional metamorphism.

Impact diamonds are one of the widespread typological minerals of shock origin. Firstly, they originate during impact into various carbon-containing targets and are known from a number of natural objects of both terrestrial (impactites and impactoclastic layers) and cosmic (meteoritic) origin. Secondly, this high-pressure mineral exhibits many characteristic features and is one of the most important among the shock metamorphic criteria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mineralogy and Petrology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia

    S. Vishnevsky

  2. University of Oulu, P.O Box 3000, Fin-90401, Oulu, Finland

    J. Raitala

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  1. S. Vishnevsky
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  2. J. Raitala
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Iain Gilmour Christian Koeberl

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Vishnevsky, S., Raitala, J. (2000). Impact diamonds as indicators of shock metamorphism in strongly-reworked Pre-Cambrian impactites. In: Gilmour, I., Koeberl, C. (eds) Impacts and the Early Earth. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences, vol 91. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0027762

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0027762

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67092-6

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