The generic concept of the artificial meteorite experiment STONE is to fix rock samples bearing microorganisms on the heat shield of a recoverable space capsule and to study their modifications during atmospheric re-entry. The STONE-5 experiment was performed mainly to answer astrobiological questions. The rock samples mounted on the heat shield were used (i) as a carrier for microorganisms and (ii) as internal control to verify whether physical conditions during atmospheric re-entry were comparable to those experienced by “real” meteorites. Samples of dolerite (an igneous rock), sandstone (a sedimentary rock), and gneiss impactite from Haughton Crater carrying endolithic cyanobacteria were fixed to the heat shield of the unmanned recoverable capsule FOTON-M2. Holes drilled on the back side of each rock sample were loaded with bacterial and fungal spores and with dried vegetative cryptoendoliths. The front of the gneissic sample was also soaked with cryptoendoliths.
The mineralogical differences between pre- and post-flight samples are detailed. Despite intense ablation resulting in deeply eroded samples, all rocks in part survived atmospheric re-entry. Temperatures attained during re-entry were high enough to melt dolerite, silica, and the gneiss impactite sample. The formation of fusion crusts in STONE-5 was a real novelty and strengthens the link with real meteorites. The exposed part of the dolerite is covered by a fusion crust consisting of silicate glass formed from the rock sample with an admixture of holder material (silica). Compositionally, the fusion crust varies from silica-rich areas (undissolved silica fibres of the holder material) to areas whose composition is “basaltic”. Likewise, the fusion crust on the exposed gneiss surface was formed from gneiss with an admixture of holder material. The corresponding composition of the fusion crust varies from silica-rich areas to areas with “gneiss” composition (main component potassium-rich feldspar). The sandstone sample was retrieved intact and did not develop a fusion crust. Thermal decomposition of the calcite matrix followed by disintegration and liberation of the silicate grains prevented the formation of a melt.
Furthermore, the non-exposed surface of all samples experienced strong thermal alterations. Hot gases released during ablation pervaded the empty space between sample and sample holder leading to intense local heating. The intense heating below the protective sample holder led to surface melting of the dolerite rock and to the formation of calcium-silicate rims on quartz grains in the sandstone sample. 相似文献
Summary. The effect of loading waveform and amplitude on the fatigue behaviour of intact sandstone was investigated using uniaxial cyclic loading conditions in the laboratory. In the first set of experiments sinusoidal, ramp and square waveforms were used at loading frequency of 5Hz and peak amplitude of 0.05mm. In another set of experiments, tests were conducted at a range of amplitudes varying from 0.05 to 0.3mm at 5Hz frequency using sinusoidal and ramp waveforms. It was found that loading waveform as well as amplitude is of great significance and affects the rock behaviour. It was found that fatigue behaviour is a function of the cyclic energy of the load and the shape of the waveform. Damage accumulated most rapidly under square waveforms with a high energy requirement. A ramp waveform was the least damaging of those considered. The loading waveforms strongly influenced the damage accumulation under cyclic loading conditions. Finally, it is concluded that machine behaviour in terms of amplitude affected the rock behaviour. This study has practical significance to the behaviour of rock and rock masses within the excavation systems subjected to cyclic loading. 相似文献
Four sets of thin-section scale, Mode I (open mode), cemented microfractures are present in sandstone from the Eocene Misoa Formation, Maracaibo basin, Venezuela. The first set of microfractures is intragranular (F1), formed early during compaction and are filled with quartz cement precipitated at temperatures equal to or higher than 100 °C. The second set of microfractures (F2) is cemented by bituminite–pyrite, formed at temperatures between 60 and 100 °C, and are associated with kerogen maturation and hydrocarbon migration from underlying overpressured source rocks. The third set of microfractures (F3) is fully cemented by either quartz cement or calcite cement. The former has fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures between 149 and 175 °C. These temperatures are mostly higher than maximum burial temperatures (160 °C), suggesting that upward flow, caused by a pressure gradient, transported silica vertically which crystallized into the fractures. Upward decompression may have also caused a PCO2 drop, which, at constant temperature, allowed simultaneous carbonate precipitation into the third microfracture set. The fourth set of thin-section scale microfractures (F4) is open or partially cemented by siderite–hematite and other iron oxides. The presence of hematite and iron oxides in microfractures is evidence for oxidizing conditions that may be associated with the uplift of the Misoa formation. In order to time and place constraints on the depth of formation of the fourth set of microfractures, we have coupled published quartz cementation kinetic algorithms with uniaxial strain equations and determined if, in fact, they could be associated with the uplift of the formation. Our results suggest that thermoelastic contraction, caused by the formation's uplift, erosion, and consequent cooling is a feasible mechanism for the origin of the last fracture set. Hence, we infer that meteoric water invasion into the fractures, at the end of the uplift, cause the precipitation of oxides and the transformation of siderite to hematite. 相似文献
Salt and ice crystallisation in the pore spaces causes major physical damage to natural building stones. The damaging effect
of these processes can be traced back to physically induced stress inside of the rock while crystallizing. The increasing
scientific research done during the past century has shown that there are numerous parameters that have an influence on the
weathering resulting from these processes. However, the working mechanisms of the stress development within the rock and its
material dependency are still subject to discussion. This article gives an overview of salt and ice weathering. Additionally,
laboratory results of various sandstones examined are presented. Salt crystallisation tests and freeze/thaw tests were done
to obtain information about how crystallisation weathering depends on material characteristics such as pore space, water transportation,
and mechanical features. Simultaneous measuring of the length alternating during the salt and ice crystallisation has revealed
detailed information on the development of crystal in the pore spaces as well as the development of stress. These findings
can help to understand the damaging mechanisms. 相似文献
Elucidation of diagenetic alterations in the Petrohan Terrigenous Group (fluvial; highstand systems tract HST) sandstones and Svidol Formation (tide-dominated deltaic and tidal flat, transgressive systems tract TST and highstand systems tract HST, respectively) sandstones and calcarenite, Lower Triassic, NW Bulgaria was constrained within a sequence stratigraphic framework. Eogenetic alterations in the fluvial HST sandstones include (i) formation of grain-coating infiltrated clays as a result of percolation of mud-rich surface waters into underlying coarse-grained and permeable channel-fills and crevasse splay sandstones; (ii) formation of pseudomatrix by mechanical compaction of mud intraclasts that were incorporated into the coarse-grained channel sandstones during their lateral avulsion; and (iii) cementation by calcite (δ18OVPDB = − 6.5‰ to − 3‰; δ13CVPDB = − 5.1‰ to + 0.6‰) and dolomite (δ18OVPDB = − 6.1‰ to − 0.3‰; δ13CVPDB = − 7.2‰ to − 5.8‰) in the crevasse splay and floodplain sediments. Mesogenetic alterations that are encountered in the fluvial HST sandstones include (i) illitization of grain-coating clays, mud intraclasts, and mica, possibly because of simultaneous albitization of feldspars; (ii) cementation by calcite (δ18OVPDB = − 14.5‰ to − 8.4‰; δ13CVPDB = − 7.7‰ to + 0.6‰) and dolomite (δ18OVPDB = − 15.8‰ to − 5‰; δ13CVPDB = − 7.9‰ to + 1.5‰); and (iii) limited amounts of quartz overgrowths in the channel sandstones owing to occurrence of thick grain-coating clays.
Conversely, the tide-dominated deltaic TST sandstones and the tidal flat HST calcarenite were pervasively cemented by calcite (δ18OVPDB = − 6.6‰ to − 3.1‰; δ13CVPDB = − 5.1‰ to + 0.6‰) and siderite (δ18OVPDB = − 7.2‰ to − 5.7‰; δ13CVPDB = + 0.3‰ to + 0.9‰) particularly below marine and maximum flooding surfaces, due to the presence of abundant bioclasts and prolonged residence time of the sediments under certain geochemical conditions along these surfaces. The remaining open pores were cemented during mesodiagenesis by calcite (δ18OVPDB = − 6.6‰ to − 3.1‰ and δ13CVPDB = − 5.1‰ to + 0.6‰) and dolomite (δ18OVPDB = − 6.6‰ to − 3.1‰ and δ13CVPDB = − 5.1‰ to + 0.6‰).
This study shows that constructing a conceptual model for the distribution of diagenetic alterations is possible by integration of diagenesis with sequence stratigraphy. The model shows that tide-dominated deltaic TST sandstones and tidal flat HST calcarenite were pervasively cemented by carbonates during near-surface eodiagenesis, owing to the presence of abundant bioclasts. Conversely, fluvial LST sandstones remained poorly cemented during near-surface eodiagenesis due to the lack of bioclasts, but were cemented by mesogenetic calcite, dolomite and quartz overgrowths instead. 相似文献
