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Nanodiamonds as Proof of High Impact Meteor

Nanodiamonds as Proof of High Impact Meteor.

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Nanodiamonds as Proof of High Impact Meteor

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  1. Nanodiamonds as Proof of High Impact Meteor Why Nanodiamonds? Megafaunal extinctions at the geologic period known as the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) about 12,900 years ago at the End Pleistocene were likely due to an extraterrestrial meteorite impact. When such impacts occur, high temperatures and pressures can instantaneously create cubic nanodiamonds as well as other forms, as long as carbon is present. NDs are often encased in carbon spherules or high temperature melt glass. They can be extracted, purified, and identified from sedimentary rock from the YDB to support this leading impact theory. Cubic diamond seems to be specific to large impacts, but must be separated from other forms of ND including hexagonal diamond (lonsdaleite), n-diamond, and i-carbon. Adjustments have been made to the procedure for extraction and analysis of cubic nanodiamonds from bulk sediment. The ND data which have resulted have strengthened the support for an extraterrestrial impact as the trigger for the End Pleistocene Megafaunal extinction. Results/Future Work: The Mexico soil samples have had promising preliminary TEM results. It is yet unknown what samples contain nanodiamonds, therefore still unknown where the nanodiamonds occur geologically for this set of samples. Extraction and Purification of Nanodiamonds for the Investigation of High Energy Impact EventsW. S. Wolbach, K. A. Tague, M. T. HannonDepartment of Chemistry, DePaul University, 1110 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 Acknowledgements: Many thanks to DePaul University College of Science and Health for their funding through the USRP and URAP programs. This research would not be possible without their funding or our amazing research team! Thanks also to Allen West for collecting and analyzing samples. References: [1] [2] [3] Methodology: Bulk soil samples are taken through multiple degradation steps to strip the nanodiamonds from organic materials and silicates. Purification steps are also designed to further separate nanodiamonds from soil, as well as other types of nanodiamond. Research Team Dr. Wendy Wolbach Mary Hannon Kevin Tague

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