SHOCK METAMORPHISM OF ANORTHOSITE FROM MANICOUAGAN CRATER, QUEBEC, CANADA

The central anorthosite peak of the Maniconagan crater displays characteristic shock deformation and transition phenomena in plagioclase feldspars, scapolithe, apatite and other maphitic minerals. The optical orientation of plagioclases is determined. With increasing shock, a trend to a highly disordered structure of the plagioclase lattice can be observed. Rock fracturing occurs at low pressures. At higher pressures different kinds of isotropisation features and planar deformation structures in plagioclase, scapolithe and apatite can be distinguished. These planar elements can be interpreted as glide planes of low crystallographic indices, set in motion during shock compression by plastic deformation. Their optical orientation is measured. At very high pressures a completely isotropic phase, the s. c. diaplectic glass is formed. The physical properties of diaplectic plagioclase crystals and diaplectic glass are determined which are different from those of an unshocked crystal and its molten plagioclase glass of the same chemical composition. The diaplectic plagioclase phases are apparently mixed phases of molten glass and normal crystal. This can be proved by x-ray and infrared absorption studies. These results are correlated to shock recovery experiments and hugoniot states of plagioclase. All shock effects of plagioclases are classified into three groups according to the low pressure regime, mixed phase regime and high pressure regime. The low pressure regime is characterised by strong fracturing, the mixed phase regime by the development of planar elements, which were transformed during shock compression into the high pressure plagioclase phase with hollandite structure. The latter is converted into diaplectic glass after pressure release. The high pressure regime is characterised by complete transformation of plagioclase into the high pressure phase, which is unstable and reverts completely to the amorphous phase (diaplectic glass or maskelynite) at zero pressure density. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.