[meteorite-list] Origin of Tektites

[almitt2 at localnet.com]

Hi Ed,

Not an expert by any means on tektites but the subject has been 
discussed here quite a bit in the past. You can go to the meteorite 
central site and conduct a search on what has been said or google a 
search on tektites. We do have very knowledgeable people on here that 
can offer information.

With that said, volcanic origin (on Earth) can be ruled out because 
tektites are way too dry to be a by product of terrestrial volcanos. 
Lunar ejecta is unlikely due to the isolated spots tektites are found. 
Lunar origin is an old theory that has (for the most part) gone by the 
way side. Meteorite impacts are the most widely accepted theory of 
formation but not without its problems. Tektites are glassy specimens 
that were highly heated and so their pasts have been altered.
This makes trying to find their parent source very difficult. Their 
have been air bubbles that have been studied in them that gives 
indication of Earth origin due to the gases trapped inside them.

Beyond that you will have to do research to find a more detailed 
explanation as to their compositions and origins. Best!

--AL Mitterling
Mitterling Meteorites
www.mitterling.com


Quoting Ed Majden <epmajden at shaw.ca>:

> 	Are there any tektite experts on this list?  The formation of  
> tektites has been a mystery to science.  Volcanic origin, Lunar  
> ejecta, meteorite impact origin, explosive electrical discharge,  
> etc.  The latter proposed by NASA experiments at an arc-jet  
> facility.  What are the current theories on the formation of  
> tektites.  Are there any papers on this that I could get my hands on?
> Thanks:
> Ed Majden
> Courtenay, B.C.
> Canada