Raindrop imprints in the Late Archaean-Early Proterozoic Ventersdorp Supergroup, South Africa
Abstract
Well preserved raindrop imprints occur in Ventersdorp rocks of Randian age (±2.7 Ga) on mudflakes at five different stratigraphic levels in a sequence which consists of alternating beds of arkose and tuff. The raindrop imprints indicate that an atmosphere did exist, and that the arkose was deposited in an environment periodically exposed to the atmosphere. These are, as far as is known, the oldest raindrop craters ever to be described. Special conditions governing their formation and preservation are given.
- Publication:
-
Sedimentary Geology
- Pub Date:
- February 1989
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0037-0738(89)90064-X
- Bibcode:
- 1989SedG...61..303V