Palaeomagnetism of Middle Ordovician Carbonate Sequence, Vaivara Sinimaed Area, Northeast Estonia, Baltica

The hill range of Vaivara Sinimaed in northeast Estonia consists of several narrow east-to northeast-trending glaciotectonic fold structures. The folds include tilted (dips 4-75 degrees) Middle Ordovician (early Darriwilian) layered carbonate strata that were studied by mineralogical, palaeomagnetic, and rock magnetic methods in order to specify the post-sedimentational history of the area and to obtain a better control over the palaeogeographic position of Baltica during the Ordovician. Mineralogical studies revealed that (titano) magnetite, hematite, and goethite are carriers of magnetization. Based on data from 5 sites that positively passed a DC tilt test, a south-easterly downward directed component A (D-ref = 154.6 degrees +/- 15.3 degrees, I-ref = 60.9 degrees +/- 9.7 degrees) was identified. The component is carried by (titano) magnetite, dates to the Middle Ordovician (Plat = 17.9 degrees, Plon = 47.3 degrees, K = 46.7, A95 = 11.3 degrees), and places Baltica at mid-southerly latitudes. Observations suggest that in sites that do not pass the tilt test, the glaciotectonic event has caused some rotation of blocks around their vertical axis.Peer reviewe

Magnetic susceptibility of Middle Ordovician sedimentary rocks, Pakri Peninsula, NW Estonia

Magnetic susceptibility (MS), its frequency-dependence and anisotropy of the Middle Ordovician Dapingian and Darriwilian sedimentary sequence from three sites (Uuga, Testepere and Leetse) in the Pakri Peninsula, NW Estonia are analysed in combination with the mineralogical composition. The study is based on 463 cores drilled at intervals of a few centimetres to a maximum of about 1 m. All the samples show low and positive MS, which suggests the presence of small quantities of paraand/or ferromagnetic minerals. The stratigraphic units of the three studied sites have a similar along-section appearance, which provides a base for a composite curve. The relatively higher susceptibilities are carried by secondary Fe-Ti oxides (Toila Formation), goethite ooids (Kandle Formation) and ferrous dolomite (Pae Member), whereas paramagnetic minerals are mostly responsible for the rest of the sequence. Considering the dependence of MS on regressive transgressive cycles (high/low MS within deposits of regressive/transgressive parts of the cycles, respectively), the MS data do not agree with sedimentologically derived sea-level compilations. The measured changes in MS in the Pakri Peninsula outcrops correlate at certain characteristic levels with those deposited in the deeper part of the palaeobasin (Viki core), indicating that the post-depositional iron mobilization within the sediments took place at least at a regional level. Because of post-depositional reorganization of ferromagnetic carrier minerals, the MS values may, however, not be used as a detrital proxy.Peer reviewe

Bulk synthesis of stoichiometric/meteoritic troilite (FeS) by high-temperature pyrite decomposition and pyrrhotite melting

Stoichiometric troilite (FeS) is a common phase in differentiated and undifferentiated meteorites. It is the endmember of the iron sulfide system. Troilite is important for investigating shock metamorphism in meteorites and studying spectral properties and space weathering of planetary bodies. Thus, obtaining coarse-grained meteoritic troilite in quantities is beneficial for these fields. The previous synthesis of troilite was achieved by pyrite or pyrrhotite heating treatments or chemical syntheses. However, most of these works lacked a visual characterization of the step by step process and the final product, the production of large quantities, and they were not readily advertised to planetary scientists or the meteoritical research community. Here, we illustrate a two-step heat treatment of pyrite to synthesize troilite. Pyrite powder was decomposed to pyrrhotite at 1023-1073 K for 4-6 h in Ar; the run product was then retrieved and reheated for 1 h at 1498-1598 K in N-2 (gas). The minerals were analyzed with a scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD) at room temperature, and in situ high-temperature XRD. The primary observation of synthesis from pyrrhotite to troilite is the shift of a major diffraction peak from similar to 43.2 degrees 2 theta to similar to 43.8 degrees 2 theta. Troilite spectra matched an XRD analysis of natural meteoritic troilite. Slight contamination of Fe was observed during cooling to troilite, and alumina crucibles locally reacted with troilite. The habitus and size of troilite crystals allowed us to store it as large grains rather than powder; 27 g of pyrite yielded 17 g of stochiometric troilite.Peer reviewe

Small impact cratering processes produce distinctive charcoal assemblages

The frequency of crater-producing asteroid impacts on Earth is not known. Of the predicted Holocene asteroid impact craters of <200 m diameter, only ~30% have been located. Until now there has been no way to distinguish them from “normal” terrestrial structures unless pieces of iron meteorites were found nearby. We show that the reflective properties of charcoal found in the proximal ejecta of small impact craters are distinct from those produced by wildfires. Impact-produced charcoals and wildfire charcoals must derive from different heating regimes. We suggest that charcoal with specific reflective properties may help to recognize the meteoritic origin of small craters.Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant ImpChar, agreement no. 749157; the 2016 Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research (Arizona, USA); National Science Centre Poland grants 2020/39/D/ST10/02675 and 2013/09/B/ST10/01666

Geophysical methods in impact crater hunting : Case Summanen

Non peer reviewe

A ground-penetrating radar study of the Vaidasoo bog (Estonia) : no crater structure exists

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to analyse the circular Vaidasoo bog in northern Estonia. This was done to better understand its structure and origin, and to test the suggestion that Vaidasoo represents a meteorite impact structure. The combination of GPR with LIDAR data suggests that Vaidasoo bog is developed in a NW–SE oriented glacial tunnel valley where post-glacial hydrology is affected by glaciofluvial deposits. As no clear impact-modified bedrock features were identified and the circular bog does not mirror the topography of the bedrock, we conclude that the Vaidasoo structure does not represent a meteorite impact structure

Ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography for mapping bedrock topography and fracture zones: a case study in Viru-Nigula, NE Estonia; pp. 142–151

The Geological Base Map (GBM), presenting an elongated buried valley running beneath the Varudi bog, triggered the geophysical studies near Viru-Nigula borough in northeastern Estonia. After the Geological Survey of Estonia had compiled the GBM map set, the course and extent of the valley still remained indistinct. Principally the morphology of the Varudi valley had been determined just by one borehole characterizing the 30 m thick Quaternary succession within the valley. The thickness of Quaternary sediments is, however, just a few metres in adjacent boreholes. We used ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) for acquiring extra knowledge about the extent and morphology of the Varudi structure. Ground-penetrating radar enabled us to specify the thickness and composition of Quaternary deposits, and to recognize dislocations of the bedrock blocks. As the radar images provided information on the topmost ~4 m only, ERT (Wenner and Wenner–Schlumberger arrays) was applied to define deeper, down to 40 m, electrical resistivity anomalies. The ERT studies revealed two fracture zones where regular Ordovician carbonate beds have been crushed and replaced by Quaternary sediments. The Varudi valley coincides with the southern zone. Both fracture zones probably acted as groundwater flow channels and sediment pathways in the Late Pleistocene, and hence supported the creation of the Varudi bog

Cooling of the Kärdla impact crater: I. The mineral paragenetic sequence observation

The impact-induced hydrothermal system in the well-preserved, 4 km-diameter Kärdla impact crater on Hiiumaa Island, western Estonia, was investigated by means of mineralogical, chemical, and stable degrees C and O isotope studies. The mineralization paragenetic sequence, with gradually decreasing temperature, reveals at least three evolutionary stages in the development of the post-impact hydrothermal system: 1) an early vapor-dominated stage (>300 degrees C) with precipitation of submicroscopic adularia type K-feldspar; 2) the main stage (300 to 150/100 degrees C) with the development of a two-phase (vapor to liquid) zone leading to precipitation of chlorite/corrensite, (idiomorphic) euhedral K-feldspar, and quartz; and 3) a late liquid-dominated stage (<100 degrees C) with calcite I, dolomite, quartz, calcite II, chalcopyrite/pyrite, Fe-oxyhydrate, and calcite III precipitation.The Meteoritics & Planetary Science archives are made available by the Meteoritical Society and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202