A pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender a evolução da drenagem e do relevo na cratera de Colônia e entorno, no setor meridional do Planalto Paulistano, em São Paulo-SP. Parte-se da hipótese de que o relevo da área resulta da degradação de uma zona de estruturas concêntricas, formada em conjunto com a cratera, por impacto de bólido extraterrestre. Essas estruturas seriam atribuídas a um ou mais mecanismos, entre eles: a) controle exercido por um sistema de falhas radiais e concêntricos, b) estratificação do alvo, c) pico anelar em cratera complexa, d) ejecta fluidificada e e) fluidificação de finos, que resultaram na geração de uma zona de formas concêntricas no entorno da cratera. Após sua formação, o relevo da cratera e seu entorno foram degradados pela drenagem, que promoveu trabalho erosivo mais intenso a leste que a oeste, produzindo níveis hipsométricos menores a leste. Com base na proposta metodológica de Oliveira (2003), elabora-se uma descrição do relevo e da drenagem para identificar elementos sugestivos de condicionamento geológico produzido pela estrutura de impacto, por meio de fotointerpretação, trabalhos de campo e morfometria. A partir dos dados de hipsometria, rupturas de declividade e lineamentos da drenagem, descartam-se os mecanismos de estratificação do alvo, pico anelar e ejecta fluidificada, restando apenas o sistema de falhas radiais e concêntricos e a fluidificação de finos como possibilidades em aberto, cujo teste definitivo dependerá da disponibilidade de dados geofísicos detalhados. Os dados de morfometria, por sua vez, sugerem maior trabalho erosivo efetuado pelos rios da bacia do Jurubatuba que do Embu-Guaçu, respondendo pela assimetria altimétrica leste-oeste da zona de formas concêntricas e do anel colinoso da cratera de impacto e pela abertura da drenagem a leste, em conjunto com o condicionamento dado pelas linhas estruturais geradas tectonicamente. A presença de anomalias de drenagem e sua correlação com as integrais hipsométricas, por sua vez, são indicativas de modificação tectônica da drenagem, posterior à sua delineação condicionada pela estrutura de impacto. / This research aims to comprehend the relief and drainage evolution in the Colônia crater and surrounding areas, in the southern sector of the Paulistano Plateau, São Paulo-SP. We advance a hypothesis such as the morphology of the area results from degradation of a zone of concentric structures, originated at the same time as the crater, by extraterrestrial bolide impact. These structures are due to one or more mechanisms, among them: a) system of concentric and radial fractures, b) target stratification, c) peak ring in a complex impact structure, d) fluidized ejecta and e) fluidization of fine sediments, which generated a zone of concentric forms around the crater. After its formation, the relief of the crater and surroundings was degraded by drainage, which promoted a more intense erosive work to East than West, producing lower hypsometric levels to East. Based on the methodological proposal of Oliveira (2003), we elaborated a description of the topography and drainage to indentify suggestive elements for geological conditioning produced by the impact structure, by means of photointerpretation, fieldwork and morphometric measurements. From hypsometric data and slope break and drainage lineations analysis, we discard the hypothesis of: target stratification, peak ring and fluidized ejecta, leaving only those of concentric and radial fractures and fluidization of fine sediments, as open possibilities, whose final test will depend on the availability of detailed geophysical data. The morphometric data suggest greater erosive work performed by the Jurubatuba drainage basin than by Embu-Guaçu, responding by hypsometric East-West asymmetry of the craters raised ring and surroundings. This still accounts for the position of its drainage exutory, to East, together with structural lines tectonically generated. The presence of drainage anomalies and their correlation with the hypsometric integrals are indicative of tectonic modification of drainage, after its delineation conducted by the impact structure.

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta minuciosa pesquisa sobre atributos geomorfológicos, de geodiversidade e da geoconservação do Astroblema da Serra da Cangalha/TO, uma cratera de impacto a hipervelocidade em avançado estado de erosão. A delimitação da área de estudo se deu com base na configuração geomorfológica e geológica local, abrangendo a área interna da cratera e as principais bacias de drenagem que dela nascem. O primeiro objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a transformação desta paisagem para o estágio em que se observa atualmente e verificar em que medida um evento extraordinário tal qual um impacto meteorítico a hipervelocidade condiciona a forma do relevo e a rede de drenagem local mesmo ainda milhões de anos depois. Discute-se como a exumação de camadas estratigráficas ocorrida durante o impacto direcionou o modelamento da estrutura erodida ao longo do tempo geológico e apresentam-se as principais bacias hidrográficas da área de estudo, além de uma análise fenomenológica da experiência de vivenciar o encontro in loco com este astroblema de proporções quilométricas. Dada a raridade e demais valores de geodiversidade deste tipo de feição, este trabalho tem como segundo objetivo investigar as ações pretéritas e presentes no sentido da preservação ambiental deste patrimônio geomorfológico-geológico e astronômico em confluência com a possibilidade de um desenvolvimento sustentável da região. Os métodos utilizados constaram de uma visita de campo, análises SIG e descrições fenomenológicas. É apresentada, por fim, a partir das experiências do Ries UNESCO Global Geopark (um geoparque alemão criado a partir do maior astroblema da Europa, a Nördlinger Ries Krater) e do Parque Estadual do Desengano/RJ (primeira Unidade de Conservação da América do Sul a receber o selo Dark Sky Park da International Dark Sky Association) - uma proposta de um Geoastroparque para a região do Astroblema da Serra da Cangalha, de acordo com as premissas de sustentabilidade e geoturismo da rede mundial UNESCO Global Geopark e em prol de uma preservação e uso astroturístico de sua baixa poluição luminosa, com a possiblidade de atividades diurnas (geologia, geomorfologia, meteorítica) e noturnas (observação do céu) observando sempre os limites para um turismo sustentável com uma preocupação continuada de respeito ao meio ambiente e à população local. / [en] This paper presents a thorough research on geomorphological attributes, geodiversity and geoconservation of the Serra da Cangalha/TO Astroblem, a hypervelocity impact crater in an advanced state of erosion. The delimitation of the study area was based on the local geomorphological and geological configuration, covering the inner area of the crater and the main drainage basins that originate from it. The first objective of the work was to analyze the transformation of this landscape to the stage where it is observed today and to verify to what extent an extraordinary event such as a meteorite impact at hypervelocity conditions the shape of the relief and the local drainage network even millions of years later. We discuss how the exhumation of stratigraphic layers that occurred during the impact directed the modeling of the eroded structure throughout geological time, and we present the main watersheds of the study area, in addition to a phenomenological analysis of the experience of living the encounter in loco with this astroblem of kilometer proportions. Given the rarity and other geodiversity values of this type of feature, the second objective of this work is to investigate the past and present actions towards the environmental preservation of this geomorphological-geological and astronomical heritage in confluence with the possibility of a sustainable development of the region. The methods used consisted of a field visit, GIS analysis and phenomenological descriptions. Finally, based on the experiences of the Ries UNESCO Global Geopark (a German geopark created from the largest astroblem in Europe, the Nördlinger Ries Krater) and the Desengano State Park/RJ (the first South American Conservation Unit to receive the label Dark Sky Park from the International Dark Sky Association) a proposal for an Astrogeopark for the region of the Serra da Cangalha Astroblem is presented, in accordance with the premises of sustainability and geotourism of the world network UNESCO Global Geopark and in favor of a preservation and astro-tourism use of its low light pollution, with the possibility of daytime activities (geology, geomorphology, meteoritics) and nighttime activities (sky observation) always observing the limits for a sustainable tourism with a continued concern for the respect of the environment and the local population.

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE OCCURRENCE OF MOLDAVITES IN THE CENTRAL EUROPE ABSTRACT: In the presented paper, geomorphological aspects of the occurrence od moldavites are evaluated. The origin od moldavites in the Miocene and position of their main finding places in Czechia is described. For studies and documentation of morphology of the surface of moldavites was used the collection of the Faculty od Science at Charles University. Special attention during field geomorphic servey of finding places of moldavites was attend to the localities between settlements Ločenice, Nesměň and Chlum nad Malší. Main features od the natural environment were identified as well as recent changes of landforms caused by prohibited and legal extraction of moldavites. All notable finding places of moldavites in the southern Bohemia are affected by these anthropogenic changes of the landscape. It is discussed that absence of moldavites in some denuded areas of the region where they are occurring can indicate a range of rocks exhumation since the upper Miocene. On the contrary, it is suggested thah morphostratigraphical significance od sporadic findings of moldavites many kilometres from primary localities is limited by a low resistance of the shape and volume of moldavites in relation to fluvial transport. However, very...

The Gatun Structure (N 09º 05’ 58.1”, W 79º 47’ 21.8”, situated in the triple-canopy rainforest 10 km to the WSW of the Gamboa and about 2 km south of the Isle of Barbacoas, Republic de Panama), is a partially inundated, quasi-concentric surface feature ~3km in diameter, which appears in aerial photographs and in radar imagery as an arcuate chain of islands with a raised center. Although the structure has been heavily weathered and altered, it has retained morphology consistent with complex craters: an elevated circular central uplift 500-600 m in diameter and approximately 70 m high, and arcuate boundary ridges (a rim structure?) ranging from ~50-110 meters high. Within the central peak, highly altered and fractured siltstone of the Gatuncillo Formation (?) (Eocene) ± older rocks are uplifted and exposed through surrounding calcareous units of the Caimito Formation (Oligocene) and the Las Cascadas Formation (Miocene), the major target rocks in the region. Lithologies in the structure include highly fractured siliciclastic rocks (siltstone, sandstones and greywackes), limestones with anomalous spherical glass inclusions, both black and white hypocrystalline glasses (possible melt rocks), lithic fragmental breccias, and melt-bearing breccias (possible impact melt breccias and suevites) containing flow banding and evidence for selective melting of minerals. Three types of spherules (glass, fluid-drop and lithic), a pyroxenequartz “necklace” disequilibrium structure (coronas), plagioclase feldspars exhibiting mosaicism and partially amorphization and zeolitization, possible liquid immiscibility between melts of calcite and felpspathic glass, as well as decomposition of titano-magnetite, are all petrographic criteria that suggest a hypervelocity impact event. The structure is crosscut by numerous dikes of unshocked basalt and basaltic andesite related to volcanism along the Panamanian segment of the Central American arc to the south. However, the lithologies of the Gatun Structure are chemically inconsistent with the regional volcanic rocks and the unshocked volcanic rocks that crosscut the structure. An impact origin is our preferred interpretation for the Gatun structure due to the lack of an igneous relationship between the Gatun structure and the explosive volcanism of Panamanian arc, the presence of classical impactite lithologies within the site, the occurrence of spherules, maskelynite (as suggested by Raman Spectroscopy) and other disequilibrium shock features in the Gatun suite of rocks.

As one of the most common minerals in crustal rocks, quartz has been widely used as an indicator for shock metamorphism. Shocked quartz is found in the Chicxulub impact crater, an impact crater that has been linked to the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction ~66 million years ago. The microstructural deformation features found in the shocked quartz do not form randomly, and their orientation provides a better understanding of the impact cratering process. At present, there are no studies of EBSD data analysis of shocked quartz from Chicxulub. We investigated six thin sections from two samples from the M0077A borehole in the lower peak ring of the Chicxulub impact crater, using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)-EBSD technique. Both samples consist of shocked granite, with a significant amount of quartz.  Therefore, this study investigates the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of shocked quartz and predicts the seismic velocities and anisotropy, based on the EBSD data. We carried out the analysis of EBSD data by using the MATLAB-based MTEX toolbox that can perform CPO analysis from pole figure plots and the prediction of seismic properties of minerals based on the Voigt-Reuss-Hill effective medium method. Although acquiring the EBSD data from these samples is challenging, leading to the lack of data measured, we found out that the prediction of P wave seismic velocity is in good agreement with other recent studies conducted in the same area. The range of predicted P wave velocities is 5.5-6.5 km/s with anisotropy of 8-15%. The actual observed laboratory measurements and in-situ seismic measurements are considerably smaller than this velocity range because our calculations do not incorporate pores or take microcracks into account.  A likely explanation for the large variability of anisotropy in shocked quartz is the relatively few mapped grains with EBSD, which would influence the CPO and lead to high predicted seismic anisotropy. Considering a greaternumber of grains in the CPO analysis, the CPO is reduced, and seismic anisotropy becomes smaller.

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 558 pages. / Original thesis submitted in HTML and can be accessed at http://www.lib.usf.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-10122001-142859/unrestricted/frame.html / td.pdf / Thesis (M.S.)--University of South Florida, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The Gatun Structure, (Latitude N 09° 05&softsign; 58.1", Longitude W 79° 47&softsign; 21.8", situated in the triple-canopy rainforest 10 km to the WSW of the Gamboa and about 2 km south of the Isle of Barbacoas, Republic de Panama), is a partially inundated, quasi-concentric surface feature 2.2 - 3km in diameter, which appears in aerial photographs and in radar imagery as an arcuate chain of islands with a raised center. Although the structure has been heavily weathered and altered, it has retained morphology consistent with complex craters: an elevated circular central uplift 500-600 m in diameter and 50m high, and arcuate boundary ridges (a rim structure?) ranging from 50-100 meters high. Within the central peak, highly altered and fractured siltstone of the Gatuncillo (?) formation (Eocene) (+-) older rocks are uplifted and exposed through surrounding calcareous units of the Caimito formation (Oligocene) and the Las Cascadas formation (Miocene), the major target rocks in the region. / ABSTRACT: Lithologies in the structure include highly fractured siliciclastic rocks (siltstone, sandstones and greywackes), limestones with anomalous spherical glass inclusions, both black and white hypocrystalline glasses (possible melt rocks), lithic fragmental breccias, and melt-bearing breccias (possible impact melt breccias and suevites), some of which contain flow banding and evidence for selective melting of minerals. Three types of spherules (glass, fluid-drop and lithic), a pyroxene-quartz "necklace" disequilibrium structure (coronas), plagioclase feldspars exhibiting mosaicism and partially amorphization, possible liquid immiscibility between melts of calcite and felpspathic glass, as well as decomposition of titanomagnite or ulvospinel, are all petrographic indicators of a hypervelocity impact event. / ABSTRACT: The structure is crosscut by numerous dikes of unshocked basalt and basaltic andesite related to volcanism along the Panamanian segment of the Central American arc to the south. However, the lithologies of the Gatun Structure are chemically inconsistent with the regional volcanic rocks and the unshocked volcanic rocks that crosscut the structure. The lack of an igneous relationship between the Gatun structure and the explosive volcanism of Panamanian arc the presence of classical shock lithologies within the site, and the occurrence of spherules, maskelynite and other disequilibrium shock features in the rocks, an impact origin is our preferred interpretation for the Gatun structure. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The recent discovery of the 31-km-wide Hiawatha impact crater has raised unanswered questions about its age, impactor and highly unusual organic carbon component. Previous research suggests a fractionated iron meteorite impactor, a probable maximum 3–2.4 Ma impact age and a possible Younger Dryas impact age. The first objective in this study has been to investigate a possible link between the Cape York meteorites and the Hiawatha impact crater by comparing the chromium isotopic signature in chromite from a Cape York meteorite with the chromium isotopic signature in potential chromite from the Hiawatha impactor. The second objective has been to investigate a possible Hiawatha signature in the Younger Dryas deposits from Baffin Bay. The third objective has been to study the organic carbon component in impactites derived from the Hiawatha impact crater. Heavy mineral grains were separated from glaciofluvial sediment which contains Hiawatha impactite grains. Not a single chromite grain was found and the possible link to the Cape York meteorites could not be tested. The petrographic examination of Younger Dryas marine deposits resulted in absence of impact-related Hiawatha grains. A petrological investigation revealed that organic carbon was likely found in five of six variably shocked impactites derived from the Hiawatha impact crater. The character of the organic carbon varies between the samples and also within individual samples. Vitrinite reflectance measurements of the organic carbon in two impactites yielded low reflectance values compared to charcoalification experiments of wood. Organic particles with different reflectance in the same sample suggest that the particles had different impact histories prior to settling and becoming a rock. Diagnostic conifer cellular texture was found in at least one of the samples. The character of the organic particles in the impactites supports the suggestion in a previous study that the sources of the Hiawatha organic carbon component are unmetamorphosed surficial deposits containing dead conifer tree trunks and fine-grained layered clay and organic matter.  In this study it is concluded that the apparent absence of chromite in the examined glaciofluvial sediment sample corroborates the significance of previous research which suggests that the Hiawatha impactor was an iron meteorite. The apparent absence of impact related grains in the Younger Dryas deposits suggests that although a Younger Dryas age for the Hiawatha impact crater is less likely now, the possibility remains open. The organic carbon with diagnostic conifer cellular texture in the Hiawatha impactites corroborates the conclusion in a previous study that the Hiawatha impact-related organic carbon component stems from local, thermally degraded conifer trees with a probable age of ca. 3–2.4 Ma. It is also concluded that the relatively low reflectance values of the organic carbon in the Hiawatha impactites seem to be related to the short duration of the high-temperature excursion during the hypervelocity impact event.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2017-02-21T15:12:08Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_JoséVianneyMendonçaDeAlencastroJr.pdf: 648691 bytes, checksum: f2fbc98e547f0284f5aef34aee9249ca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-21T15:12:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_JoséVianneyMendonçaDeAlencastroJr.pdf: 648691 bytes, checksum: f2fbc98e547f0284f5aef34aee9249ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-09-09 / A lei de Newcomb-Benford, também conhecida como a lei do dígito mais significativo, foi descrita pela primeira vez por Simon Newcomb, sendo apenas embasada estatisticamente após 57 anos pelo físico Frank Benford. Essa lei rege grandezas naturalmente aleatórias e tem sido utilizada por várias áreas como forma de selecionar e validar diversos tipos de dados. Em nosso trabalho tivemos como primeiro objetivo propor o uso de um método substituto ao qui-quadrado, sendo este atualmente o método comumente utilizado pela literatura para verificação da conformidade da Lei de Newcomb-Benford. Fizemos isso pois em uma massa de dados com uma grande quantidade de amostras o método qui-quadrado tende a sofrer de um problema estatístico conhecido por excesso de poder, gerando assim resultados do tipo falso negativo na estatística. Dessa forma propomos a substituição do método qui-quadrado pelo método de Kolmogorov-Smirnov baseado na Função de Distribuição Empírica para análise da conformidade global, pois esse método é mais robusto não sofrendo do excesso de poder e também é mais fiel à definição formal da Lei de Benford, já que o mesmo trabalha considerando as mantissas ao invés de apenas considerar dígitos isolados. Também propomos investigar um intervalo de confiança para o Kolmogorov-Smirnov baseando-nos em um qui-quadrado que não sofre de excesso de poder por se utilizar o Bootstraping. Em dois artigos publicados recentemente, dados de exoplanetas foram analisados e algumas grandezas foram declaradas como conformes à Lei de Benford. Com base nisso eles sugerem que o conhecimento dessa conformidade possa ser usado para uma análise na lista de objetos candidatos, o que poderá ajudar no futuro na identificação de novos exoplanetas nesta lista. Sendo assim, um outro objetivo de nosso trabalho foi explorar diversos bancos e catálogos de dados astronômicos em busca de grandezas, cuja a conformidade à lei do dígito significativo ainda não seja conhecida a fim de propor aplicações práticas para a área das ciências astronômicas. / The Newcomb-Benford law, also known as the most significant digit law, was described for the first time by astronomer and mathematician Simon Newcomb. This law was just statistically grounded after 57 years after the Newcomb’s discovery. This law governing naturally random greatness and, has been used by many knowledge areas to validate several kind of data. In this work, the first goal is propose a substitute of qui-square method. The qui-square method is the currently method used in the literature to verify the Newcomb-Benford Law’s conformity. It’s necessary because in a greatness with a big quantity of samples, the qui-square method can has false negatives results. This problem is named Excess of Power. Because that, we proposed to use the Kolmogorov-Smirnov method based in Empirical Distribution Function (EDF) to global conformity analysis. Because this method is more robust and not suffering of the Excess of Power problem. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov method also more faithful to the formal definition of Benford’s Law since the method working considering the mantissas instead of single digits. We also propose to invetigate a confidence interval for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov method based on a qui-square with Bootstrapping strategy which doesn’t suffer of Excess of Power problem. Recently, two papers were published. I this papaers exoplanets data were analysed and some greatness were declared conform to a Newcomb-Benford distribution. Because that, the authors suggest that knowledge of this conformity can be used for help in future to indentify new exoplanets in the candidates list. Therefore, another goal of this work is explorer a several astronomicals catalogs and database looking for greatness which conformity of Benford’s law is not known yet. And after that , the authors suggested practical aplications for astronomical sciences area.