Tektite
Gravel-sized glass beads formed from meteorite impacts / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about impact rocks. For the oceanographic research habitat, see Tektite habitat. For the recurring enemy in the Legend of Zelda series, see Universe of The Legend of Zelda § Enemies.
Tektites (from Ancient Greek τηκτός (tēktós) 'molten') are gravel-sized bodies composed of black, green, brown or grey natural glass formed from terrestrial debris ejected during meteorite impacts. The term was coined by Austrian geologist Franz Eduard Suess (1867–1941), son of Eduard Suess.[note 1][1] They generally range in size from millimetres to centimetres. Millimetre-scale tektites are known as microtektites.[2][3][4]
Tektites are characterized by:
- a fairly homogeneous composition
- an extremely low content of water and other volatiles
- an abundance of lechatelierite
- a general lack of microscopic crystals known as microlites
- not having a chemical relationship to the local bedrock or local sediments
- their distribution within geographically extensive strewn fields