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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1Cite as

Cosmic Spherules

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Definition

Spherule comes from the Greek word “sphaira” for sphere. Cosmic spherules are solid, rounded particles ranging from micrometer to millimeter in size with distinct chemical compositions indicating their extraterrestrial origin. Cosmic spherules are predominantly found in ocean floor deposits on Earth and are mainly produced by frictional heating, melting, and ablation of meteoroids upon atmospheric entry. Solidified impact-induced molten droplets of meteoroid and target materials are less abundant on Earth but would predominate on the exposed surfaces of atmosphere-less bodies like the Moon that were strongly gardened by impacting meteoroids in their early history.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DLR, Institute of Planetary Research, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489, Berlin, Germany

    Frank Sohl

Authors
  1. Frank Sohl
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Correspondence to Frank Sohl .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Sohl, F. (2014). Cosmic Spherules. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_362-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_362-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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