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    Microtektites, Microkrystites, and Spinels from a Late Pliocene
    Asteroid Impact in the Southern Ocean

* STANLEY V. MARGOLIS ^1 , PHILIPPE CLAEYS ^1 , and FRANK T. KYTE ^2 *

^1 Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
^2 Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of
California, Los Angeles, CA 90024

The properties of glassy spherules found in sedimentary deposits^ of a
late Pliocene asteroid impact into the southeast Pacific^ are similar to
those of both microtektites and microkrystites.^ These spherules
probably formed from molten silicate droplets^ that condensed from an
impact-generate vapor cloud. The spherules^ contain inclusions of
magnesioferrite spinels similar to those^ in spherules found at the
Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, indicating^ that both sets of spherules
are impact debris formed under similar^ physical and chemical conditions.


Submitted on October 30, 1990
Accepted on January 31, 1991