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Organic remains in the
Libyan Desert Glass (LDG) and "Hypatia" stone ?
Norbert Brügge, Germany
Dipl.-Geol.
Upload: 25.10.2018
In 1983, the German geologist and paleontologist
Ulrich Jux published his finds of plant spores and pollen in thin sections
of Libyan desert glass. Apart from the partly wrong interpretation of the
inclusions as well as the emergence and the age of the LDG the proof of such
Palynomorphs - after a long-time skepticism - has been allegedly confirmed.
Specimens examined by Jane Gray and Arthur J. Boucot et al., Oregon
State University, were "absolutely" confirmed as palynomorphs or plant fragments
(A. J. Boucot, letter of 18 August 1997).
Zusammensetzung und Ursprung von Wüstengläsern aus der
Großen Sandsee Ägyptens
Ulrich Jux -- Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften,
Band 134. p. 521-553, 4 fig. , 2 tab. , 4 pl. (1983)
6. Palynologische Befunde
"LDSG ist selbst in der Autoklave (110�C) schwer zu lösen. Die Mazeration
von ca. 4 cm3 kleinstückigem Probenmaterial nahm 3 Wochen und mehr
in Anspruch. In den Lösungsrückständen fanden sich meistens einige tierische
oder pflanzliche Mikrofossilien, und zwar neben chitinigen Skelettfragmenten
vor allem Gewebereste von Pflanzen und Palynomorphe. Unter den verhältnismäßug
wenigen Sporomorhen, deren Färbung zwischen gelb und dunkelbraun variiert,
ließen sicheinige polyade, forate undtrilite Formen erkennen. Alle Exemplare
waren beschädigt und spröde, dass sie bei der Präparation zerbrachen.
Daher war es einfacher, diejenigen Stücke, die sich bei der Mazeration als
ergiebig erwiesen hatten, in Dünnschliffen zu untersuchen. Die Mikrifossilien
sind schon im LDSG beschädigt überliefert worden. Teils weisen sie zerrissene
Exinen auf und häufig sind diese ungleich mineralisiert. An Gasblasen können
die Sporomorphen gekappt sein. Viel Mikrofossilien wurden aber offenbar schon
fragmentiert eingebettet.
Am ehesten bestimmbar sind einige Sporomorphen. Allerdings wurden lediglich
trilite Sporen mit konvexen Wandungen, reticulaten Exinen und geraden oder
gewellten zum Äquator reichenden triradiaten Germinalapparaten festgestellt.
Diese dürften auf Farne zu beziehen sein.
Pollen gibt es in mehreren Arten. Am häufigsten kommt ein, in Polyaden vereinigter,
dünnwandiger Typ vor, der mit Leguminosen verknüpft wird."
Three "palynomorphs" by Ulrich Jux (1983)
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Some questionable specimens in thin sections of
LDG. Source: Edmund Diemer
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The topic gets a further explosiveness through finds
of presumably plant remains in the so-called "Hypatia"stone:
A possible 29 MA colony of extremophiles in the hypatia
stone, Libyan Desert Glass Area, SW Egypt
Bamford, M.K.; Andreoli, M.A.G.; Straker, C.; Kramers, J.; Belyanin,
G.; Pischedda, V.; Przybylowicz, W.J.; Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, J.; Di Martino,
M. -- PALAEONTOLOGIA AFRICANA, Volume 49, April 2015
"Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and micro X-Ray tomographic investigations
of the diamondiferous, carbonaceous stone hypatia, found in the Libyan
Desert Glass (LDG) area of southwest Egypt reveal the presence of fracture-hosted,
unusual carbonaceous filaments and hollow membranes �20 μm thick that
forma complex network or reticulum suggestive of fossilized plants.
This interpretation is supported by mass spectrometry measurements on
fragments of Hypatia, yielding a number of organic molecules, and by SEM
EDS analyses of the structures. Such analyses show that C, O, N and S
are in abundance as found in fossilized plant remains. Some filaments
resemble plant hypocotyledons; others looked like fractured stems with
frayed ends and others are more globular. Their surface is sometimes decorated
with longitudinal ridges, small beads and what appear as small black holes.
The minor element data and the close spatial association between filaments
and metallic (Ag, Ce, La) inclusions are, however, more difficult to interpret.
Also difficult to explain is the presence of sub-micron Ti-rich particles
as scattered dusting on otherwise uncontaminated filaments. PIXE and
micro-biochemical analyses are planned to identify the full organic-inorganic
chemical constituents of the filaments."
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A nice palynomorph ?. Source Edmund Diemer
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Comment: It is not possible that organic
residues in the LDG or "Hypatia" stone have an original relationship.
The genesis of LDG and "Hypatria" is undoubtedly linked to the formation
in the Earth's mantle. If it really is organic residues, then it can only
be contaminants, which were added after the flow-out of the glassy masses
on the land surface.
It should be stressed, however, that a mistake can not be ruled out, as
most of the pictures are resolved cristobalite crystals. The structures
in the "Hypatia" stone could be inorganic graphite ribbons, similar to
those in the Libyan Desert Glass (G.
Pratesi et al.-- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, March 2002).
More detailed biochemical analysis is urgently needed.
Many thanks to John M. Saul,
who opened his archive and provided the author with copies of here presented
documents
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