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Impact-generated carbonate melts in the Talemzane impact structure (Laghouat, Algeria)

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Abstract

The 1750-m-diameter, bowl-shaped Talemzane impact structure in Algeria is emplaced in Senonian or Eocene flint-bearing limestones. Field studies reveal a thin layer of light-colored polymict breccia with rounded, dark inclusions beneath a limestone megablock zone located at the top of the crater rim. The matrix of the rounded, dark inclusions consists of Si-rich glass and microcrystalline calcite. The latter is characterized by high contents of Si and Al suggesting rapid crystallization of the calcite from a melt. Backscattered electron imagery shows textural evidence for liquid immiscibility between the CaCO3-rich and Si-rich glass of the matrix in the form of intermingling of calcite with Si-rich glass, coalesced blebs within silicate glass, individual calcite blebs within Si-rich glass, carbonate spherical globules in fresh Si-rich-glass, and sharp menisci between silicate and calcite blebs. These features are interpreted as evidence of impact melting of limestone and flint. The low totals of the Si-Al-Mg-rich glasses suggest that they contain significant amounts of volatiles. X-ray diffraction analyses indicate partial alteration of the Si-Mg-Al-rich glass to phyllosilicates.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by Laboratoire de Géodynamique, de Géologie de l’Ingénieur et Planétologie (LGGIP), Université des Sciences et de Technologie Houari Boumedienne, Algiers, Algeria, and ISTeP, Paris, France. The authors thank the many individuals and institutions that have facilitated fieldwork at Talemzane structure. We are indebted to French. Bevan. M. for his critical and fruitful discussions that helped to improve the quality of this manuscript. We thank Kord Ernstson, for detailed and constructive review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Géodynamique, Géologie de l’Ingénieur et Planétologie, Université des Sciences et de Technologie Houari Boumedienne (USTHB), Alger, Algeria

    R. Sahoui & D. Belhai

  2. ISTEP UMR 7193 Laboratoire MAGIE, 4 place Jussieu, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France

    A. Jambon

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  1. R. Sahoui
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  2. D. Belhai
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  3. A. Jambon
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Correspondence to R. Sahoui.

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Sahoui, R., Belhai, D. & Jambon, A. Impact-generated carbonate melts in the Talemzane impact structure (Laghouat, Algeria). Arab J Geosci 9, 641 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2665-6

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