Under the scanning electron microscope (SEM): The odd world of the iron silicides from the Chiemgau impact meteorite crater strewn field (click to enlarge). Contribution to the mineralogy meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Syktyvkar:

Meteorite impact on a micrometer scale: iron silicide, carbide and CAI minerals from the Chiemgau impact event (Germany)

Michael A. Rappenglück1, Frank Bauer2, Kord Ernstson3, Michael Hiltl4

1 Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Gilching, Germany; – 2 Oxford Instruments GmbH NanoScience, Wiesbaden, Germany; – 3Faculty of Philosophy I, University of Würzburg, Germany; – 4 Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Oberkochen, Germany;

Shortly after the meeting between the 19th and 22nd May in Syktyvkar the Proceedings volume has been published:

Problems and perspectives of modern mineralogy (Yushkin Memorial Seminar–2014) Proceedings of mineralogical seminar with international participation Syktyvkar, Komi Republic, Russia 19–22 May 2014

The Rappenglück et al. contribution condenses the mineralogical evidence of the iron silicides from the Chiemgau impact crater strewn field that has been compiled with invaluable support by Carl Zeiss Microscopy und Oxford Instruments NanoScience.

We remind of the fact that in the beginning of the research on the Chiemgau impact the group of quite experienced local historians and amateur archeologists had detected the metallic iron silicides and, after having been aware of their relation to crateriform structures, had published the possible meteoritic origin of the matter. Investigations and attempts, respectively, to dismiss all iron silicides as industrial waste product, or at least as terrestrial, followed, and they are still spread rumors as for instance by the Bavarian Geological Survey (Landesamt für Umwelt, LfU) which is commented (in German) elsewhere and may be clicked HERE.

Ultimately it is evident that these local historians who later got together with scientists from geosciences, astronomy, archeology and historical scholarship to establish the Chiemgau Impact Research Team (CIRT), are proved right!

The abstract article from the Proceedings volume may be clicked HERE. The corresponding, much more informative POSTER may be clicked also for download. PLEASE NOTE: Depending on the selected browser the screen quality may appear quite different. As the case may be we suggest to save the file on the computer and to activate it with a pdf reading program. WARNING: The poster pdf has a size of more than 50 megabyte.