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Tektite and Utah Glass Stuff

I just love these tektite questions. 
People are so opinionated that you almost can't write an evenhanded 
discussion of origins without getting flack. I liked what you had to say
Michael but we have discussed it before and spent time with the same
experts. I find much in both the lunar and terrestrial theories that works.
And much in both that does not. The lunar theory can make the glass in the
forms we find and I don't think the impact theorist have done a good job in
making the size forms that we have to deal with. On the other hand the
transporting of the material from the moon to earth has never been a part
of the lunar theory that I considered well conceived.

Perhaps the most interesting thing right now is the material from Haiti.
The very small tektites in that material are exactly the size that the
LUNAR theorist predicted we would find with an impact formation.

Here is a problem for those who love challenges. Read O'Keefe where he
discusses high temperature molten glass in the high velocity stream after
an impact and make yourself a 700 gram Indochinite sphere. He gives all the
information on surface tension and viscosity necessary. Then after trying
that you may have a better respect for at least one of the problem in
making tektites here on earth. By the way before I get flack for being a
lunar (or lunatic) theorist I actually think it is a far weaker theory. But
with the number of micro-tektites that have mircometeorite impacts on them,
now at over 60 and some of these have many impact pits on them, that may
speak to an exposure for a long time on an airless body.

The Utah and Arizona Glass
Paul and I found a new-ager at Tucson this year selling Arizona
Americanites and she said they came for the ''crater in Arizona''. I think
if she was referring to Barringer Crater as the source we can dismiss that
as totally false information. The impactite material from there is well
known and not like Americanite glass. But that is now two suppliers in the
past three years who have sold me lavender glasses that they said came from
Arizona. And the other one told me the general location. Paul, (my partner
at The Meteorite Exchange) obtained some of the lavender glass supposedly
from Utah and it is the same type stuff. In color very similar to
Columbianite only it comes also in a layered (moung nong type) form as
well.
I don't know for sure if it is tektite or impactite, but it is another of
the natural glasses that are still poorly understood an really pretty to
look at.


Jim Tobin
The Meteorite Exchange
www.meteorite.com
P.O.7000-455, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 USA
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