Figure 5 | Scientific Reports

Figure 5

From: Evidence of Cosmic Impact at Abu Hureyra, Syria at the Younger Dryas Onset (~12.8 ka): High-temperature melting at >2200 °C

Figure 5

Photomicrographs of varieties of SiO2 on surfaces of AH glass. (a) ~12.5-mm-wide fragment of AH glass with a thin coating of SiO2 (lechatelierite) that lines bubble cavities. The AH glass matrix is pale green, and the Si-rich coating is white. Under light microscopy, the surface is highly reflective and mostly vesicle-free with few inclusions. (b) Rounded, vesicular, rough-textured, 21-mm-wide AH glass fragment composed of SiO2 (white areas) with some inclusions. (c) Dashed circles and arrows indicate partially melted quartz grains embedded in AH glass. (Equilibrium melting point of quartz is 1720 °C, with a flux-adjusted melting point of ~1520 °C. (a) from level 457, sample E313, 413 cm depth. (b–c) from level 445, sample E301, 405 cm depth.

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