International audienceTektites are terrestrial natural glasses produced during a hypervelocity impact of an extraterrestrial projectile onto the Earth's surface. The similarity between the chemical and isotopic compositions of tektites and terrestrial upper continental crust implies that the tektites formed by fusion of such target rock. Tektites are among the driest rocks on Earth. Although volatilization at high temperature may have caused this extreme dryness, the exact mechanism of the water loss and the behavior of other volatile species during tektite formation are still debated. Volatilization can fractionate isotopes, therefore, comparing the isotope composition of volatile elements in tektites with that of their source rocks may help to understand the physical conditions during tektite formation. For this study, we have measured the Zn isotopic composition of 20 tektites from four different strewn fields. Almost all samples are enriched in heavy isotopes of Zn compared to the upper continental crust. On average, the different groups of tektites are isotopically distinct (listed from the isotopically lightest to the heaviest): Muong-Nong type indochinites (δ66/64Zn = 0.61 ± 0.30‰); North American bediasites (δ66/64Zn = 1.61 ± 0.49‰); Ivory Coast tektites (δ66/64Zn = 1.66 ± 0.18‰); the Australasian tektites (others than the Muong Nong-type indochinites) (δ66/64Zn = 1.84 ± 0.42‰); and Central European moldavites (δ66/64Zn = 2.04 ± 0.19‰). These results are contrasted with a narrow range of δ66/64Zn = 0–0.7‰ for a diverse spectrum of upper continental crust materials. The elemental abundance of Zn is negatively correlated with δ66/64Zn, which may reflect that isotopic fractionation occurred by evaporation during the heating event upon tektite formation. Simple Rayleigh distillation predicts isotopic fractionations much larger than what is actually observed, therefore, such a model cannot account for the observed Zn isotope fractionation in tektites. We have developed a more realistic model of evaporation of Zn from a molten sphere: during its hypervelocity trajectory, the molten surface of the tektite will be entrained by viscous coupling with air that will then induce a velocity field inside the molten sphere. This velocity field induces significant radial chemical mixing within the tektite that accelerates the evaporation process. Our model, albeit parameter dependent, shows that both the isotopic composition and the chemical abundances measured in tektites can be produced by evaporation in a diffusion-limited regime

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Two impact melt samples from the Lappajärvi crater (Scandinavia) are highly enriched in siderophile elements, such as lr, Re, and Os. This indicates the presence of a meteoritic component. The simultaneous enrichments of Ni, Co, Cr, and Se suggest a chondritic projectile. Because of the relatively large indigenous contributions to Ni, Co, and Cr, it is not possible to distinguish between a normal and a carbonaceous chondrite. The high concentrations of relatively volatile elements could point towards a volatile-rich projectile.The two melt samples have high Re/Ir ratios compared to chondritic ratios. Enrichment of Re relative to Ir is very unusual in terrestrial impact melts. Loss of Re, because of volatilisation under oxidizing conditions or by weathering is frequently observed.The high Re/Ir ratios and the high abundances of relatively volatile elements either indicate the presence of a volatile rich phase or they characterize a type of meteorite, which has not been sampled. Some lunar highland rocks have a pattern of meteoritic elements rather similar to that observed for the Lappajärvi meteorite.The Lappajärvi crater is, after Rocheehouart, the second European crater where a significant amount of meteoritic component has been found.A melt sample from the Lake St. Martin crater (Manitoba), did not show any enrichment in meteoritic elements.

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