GENETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TEKTITES - A REVIEW

Evidence from internal compositional variations and ratios, selective vaporisation and impact glass analogies, bearing on the relationship of the present composition to that of the parent material indicates that concentration changes during melting have been minor, thus enabling the parent material to be identified. Terrestrial igneous rocks are not suitable source material, but terrestrial sandstones (greywackes-subgreywackes-arkoses) show strong similarities in major and trace element abundances, and exhibit analogous inter-element variations to tektites. A lunar origin of tektites is not compatible with the chemistry of the lunar surface as presently known. A terrestrial origin by impact on sandstones of appropriate composition is consistent with the chemical evidence. © 1969.