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Geology; May 2005; v. 33; no. 5; p. 373-376; DOI: 10.1130/G21204.1
© 2005 Geological Society of America
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Thermal alteration of organic matter in an impact crater and the duration of postimpact heating

John Parnell1, Gordon R. Osinski2, Pascal Lee3, Paul F. Green4 and Martin J. Baron5

1 Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK
2 Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1040 East 4th Street, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0077, USA
3 Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035-1000, USA
4 Geotrack International Pty Ltd., 37 Melville Road, Brunswick West, Victoria 3055, Australia
5 Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK

The 24-km-diameter Tertiary Haughton impact structure formed in rocks that contained preexisting liquid hydrocarbons. Biomarker ratios in the hydrocarbons show a consistent pattern of variation in degree of heating across the structure. The heating reached a maximum at the crater center and is attributed to hydrothermal activity following impact. Kinetic modeling suggests a time scale of ~5 k.y. for the heating, at a maximum temperature of 210 °C. The short time scale suggests that in moderate-sized craters, which are abundant on Mars, heating is not so extensive that fossil or extant organic matter would be obliterated.

Key Words: Haughton impact structure • impact craters • biomarkers • thermal maturity • thermal alteration • Mars




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[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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