Emplacement of monomict breccia and crater size estimate at the Dhala impact structure, India

Abstract

At the Dhala impact structure, the monomict breccia and the impact melt rock outcrops are present in proximity. Generally, these impactite lithologies are formed by different mechanisms and in different parts of the crater. The emplacement setting of impact melt rocks at Dhala has been well studied. Therefore, we studied the emplacement of monomict breccia using field, microscopic, and magnetic fabric investigations. Our results show that the intensities of the rock magnetic parameters in monomict breccia are comparable with the unshocked target granitoid at Dhala. Thus, the magnetic fabrics developed during pre‐impact processes and were not altered due to impact. The absence of the reorientation of magnetic fabrics indicates that the peak shock pressures were below 0.5 GPa. Such shock pressures typically exist near the crater wall/floor or outside the crater. Moreover, there is no local variation in the orientations of magnetic fabrics at different locations in the same outcrop. Thus, the monomict breccia was not displaced from their pre‐impact position. Based on the shock barometry and absence of displacement, we propose that the present‐day annular outcrops of monomict breccia are located just outside the final crater. Furthermore, the monomict breccia annular outcrop ring has an internal diameter of ~4.5 km and is juxtaposed with impact melt rocks, which formed within the crater (previous studies). We, thus, suggest that the present‐day crater diameter is ~4.5 km.