What are tectites?
tectites are smooth, usually dark colored stones consisting of a glass material with a surface that appears to be built. The term comes from the Greek word Teknos , which means "molten". These stones come in different shapes and sizes and from a number of known places; Radiometric and other dating methods will place their formation data between 35 million and 750,000 years depending on location. They often resemble volcanic glass types such as obsidian, but have distinguishing properties that point to a different origin. Over the years, a number of different theories have been submitted in terms of their creation, but it is now generally acknowledged that they result from sudden heating and pressure of soil and rocks caused by the impact of meteorite.
There are several places on the ground where there are tectite stones; These are large areas over which objects are scattered and are known as Strewnfields. The largest of these is most of the Australias and expands to Southeast Asia. Other main strewfields are in the SeveRNNI America - in Texas, Georgia and some other places; Czech Republic; and the African coast of ivory. The tectites also occur in several smaller areas; For example, in the Libyan desert there is a yellow or greenish form known as "desert glass". Many types of these stones take their names from locations where they are found.
Tectites occur in a number of distinctive shapes and also irregularly shaped masses, but can be divided into three main types. The type of Muong-Nong-named around the city of Laos in Southeast Asia-is composed of irregular fragments, sometimes with a similar plate. Types of splash molds have different shapes, including spheres, tears and dumbbells. The flange button type has a circular shape with a ridge around it created by an intense heating side.
The first investigators suggested different theories to explain tectes. The volcanic activity was one candidate; However, it was found that the structureThe ura and the composition of these stones differ from the structure of the material released from the volcanoes. The rock or soil heated by the flash seemed to be another possibility, but the samples of objects that are known to have been created in this way, called fulgurity, exist and are completely different in appearance and structure; Blesk theory also cannot explain the uneven distribution of tecttite. Some theorists have suggested that these are small meteorites or fragments of meteorite; The variation of this theory is that they were released from the surface of the moon meteor impacts. However, chemical analysis of meteorites and monthly rocks also discounted.
But, however, the meteorite theory was not too far from the truth. A great impact of meteorite on the soil would be a surface soil or rock almost instantly heating and subjected to huge pressure before it releases a large amount of molten material and drives it highly into the atmosphere. Blings of molten material would then fall back to the surface and spread over a wide area. Analysis tKarlovy Vary, structure and composition of tectites strongly supports this theory.
tectites are generally in line with air molten material and the often observed appearance indicates collisions with dust particles in the atmosphere. The spherical objects can be explained in this way, while the surface tension maintains the shape. The shape of the dumbbell would result in a ball of molten material rotating in the air, with the material pulled towards both conmes - and a broken barbell would form a common tears. The shape of the flange button can be explained by the molten material by removing the downward direction when the object fell back to the surface. Irregular forms of a similar board could be original in the pools of molten rocks near the place of impact, which would solidify into the form of Tectite Rock.
The chemical composition of tectites is remarkable for their content with a high content of silica (SiO 2 sub>), which ranges from about 70% in Australian samples of about 98% in desert glass. The rest consists mainly of metal oxides.All these materials have very high melting and boiling points; The lack of volatile materials suggests that they were subjected to intensive heat. The presence of a mineral called Lechatelierite - created from silica -underlying oxide underlying high heat and pressure - in many tects also supports the theory of meteorite impact. In several cases, impact craters have been found to be associated with tectites.