Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Impact Spherules From Western Australia: A Textural Analysis Of Really Old Tiny Rocks, Dawn C.S. Ruth

Honors Papers

The fourth shale macroband of the Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron Formation in the Hamersley Basin in Western Australia contains a 2.49 billion years-old impact ejecta layer (Hassler and Simonson,2001). The S4 layer is the least studied Paleoproterozoic impact layer in the Hamersley Basin. It displays textures and replacement minerals not seen in other layers. Analysis of this layer will help our understanding of the processes that form impact ejecta, especially in the Paleoproterozoic.

It is believed that these ejecta settled in a deep basin environment; laterally extensive beds and mud-sized grains are evidence of the deep basin …