The Azuara structure is the largest one proposed so far in Spain as possibly related to a cosmic impact event. A review of the evidence set forward in favor of and against its cosmic origin indicates that the discussion is not yet finished. Some megascopic features (inverted stratigraphy, megabreccia, negative gravity anomalies) and shock-metamorphic effects (planar deformational features) have been described in relation with the structure, although their real significance has been questioned and is still being debated. Comparison with other similar-sized verified impacts suggests that unequivocal impactogenic features are yet to be found before the Azuara structure can be related to a cosmic impact. Until then, the Azuara structure should be considered as an unverified impact structure, and should not be included in global comprehensive maps of terrestrial impact structures.

The Vredefort Granophyre represents impact melt that was injected downward into fractures in the floor of the Vredefort impact structure, South Africa. This unit contains inclusions of country rock that were derived from different locations within the impact structure and are predominantly composed of quartzite, feldspathic quartzite, arkose, and granitic material with minor proportions of shale and epidiorite. Two of the least recrystallized inclusions contain quartz with single or multiple sets of planar deformation features. Quartz grains in other inclusions display a vermicular texture, which is reminiscent of checkerboard feldspar. Feldspars range from large, twinned crystals in some inclusions to fine-grained aggregates that apparently are the product of decomposition of larger primary crystals. In rare inclusions, a mafic mineral, probably biotite or amphibole, has been transformed to very fine-grained aggregates of secondary phases that include small euhedral crystals of Fe-rich spinel. These data indicate that inclusions within the Vredefort Granophyre were exposed to shock pressures ranging from <5 to 8-30 GPa. Many of these inclusions contain small, rounded melt pockets composed of a groundmass of devitrified or metamorphosed glass containing microlites of a variety of minerals, including K-feldspare, quartz, augite, low-Ca pyroxene, and magnetite. The composition of this devitrified glass varies from inclusion to inclusion, but is generally consistent with a mixture of quartz and feldspare with minor properties of mafic minerals. In the case of granitoid inclusions, melt pockets commonly occur at the boundaries between feldspar and quartz grains. In metasedimentary inclusions, some of these melt pockets contain remnants of partially melted feldspare grains. These melt pockets may have formed by eutectic melting caused by inclusion of these fragments in the hot (650 to 1610 degrees C) impact melt that crystallized to form the Vredefort Granophyre.

Sayh al Uhaymir (SaU) is a 223.3 g, partially crusted, strongly to very strongly shocked melanocratic olivine-porphyric rock of the shergottite group showing a microgabbroic texture. The rock consists of pyroxene (52.0-58.2 vol%)--dominantly prismatic pigeonite (En60-68Fs20-27Wo7-9) associated with minor augite (En46-49Fs15-16Wo28-31)--brown (shock-oxidized) olivine (Fo65-69; 22.1-31%), completely isotropic interstitial plagioclase glass (maskelynite; An50-64Or0.3-0.9; 8.6-13.0%), chromite and titanian magnesian chromite (0.9-1.0%), trace of ilmenite (Ilm80-86), pyrrhotite (Fe92-100; 0.1-0.2%), merrillite (<<0.1%), and pockets (4.8-6.7%) consisting of green basaltic to basaltic andesitic shock glass that is partially devitrified into a brown to black product along boundaries with the primary minerals. The average maximum dimesions of minerals are: olivine (1.5 mm), pyroxene (0.3 mm) and maskelynite (0.3 mm). Primary melt inclusions in olivine and chromite are common and account for 0.1-0.6% of the rock. X-ray tomography revealed that the specimen contains ~0.4 vol% of shock-melt associated vesicles, up to 3 mm in size, which show a preferred orientation. Fluidizatio of the maskelynite, melting and recrystallization of pyroxene, olivine and pyrrhotite indicate shock stage S6. Minor terrestrial weathering resulted in calcite-veining and minor oxidation of sulfides. The meteorite is interpreted as paired with SaU 005/008/051. The modal composition is similar to Dar al Gani 476/489/670/735/876, with the exception that neither mesostasis nor titanomagnetite nor apatite are present and that all phases show little zonation. The restricted mineral composition, predominance of chromite among the oxides, and abundance of olivine indicate affinities to the lherzolitic shergottites.

We review induced thermoluminescence (TL) data for 102 unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOCs), many data just published in abstracts, in order to identify particularly primitive UOCs and further explore TL systematics that may have implications for the history of the chondrites and their parent body. We have identified 11 UOCs of petrologic types 3.0-3.1: Adrar 003, Elephant Moraine (EET) 90066, EET 90161, Grosvenor Mountains (GRO) 95502, Lewis Cliff (LEW) 88477, Meteorite Hills (MET) 96503, Yamato (Y)-790787, Y-791324, Y-791558, Y-793565, and Y-793596. These samples represent an important new resource for researchers interested in the nature of primitive solar system materials. Previously reported trends in which TL sensitivity increases with TL peak temperature and TL peak width, which we interpret in terms of crystallization of feldspar in the ordered or disordered forms during metamorphism, are confirmed by the new data. Importantly, the present data strengthen the trend described earlier in which the mean level of metamorphism experienced by UOCs increases along the series LL, L and H. This suggests either different burial depths for the UOCs from each class, or formation at similar depths in regoliths of different thickness.