Australasian minitektites discovered in the Indian Ocean

Large area sampling with a box core in the Indian Ocean has led to the disc overy of minitektites (>1-3.75 mm long) and a tektite fragment (similar to 1.25 mm) occurring with microtektites belonging to the Australasian tektite strewn field. Minitektites and the microtektites are found to have similar major element compositions conforming to the Australasian tektite/microtek tite chemistry. Earlier studies based on isotopic evidence, dating, and che mistry had provided evidence of a single large tektite strewn field; howeve r, the physical association of tektites occurring with microtektites has be en lacking. The present study provides such an association.