Axel Wittmann
Research Interests
I am interested in impact melts and impact breccias as recorders of hyper-velocity collisional events. In addition to providing physical boundary conditions for their formation processes such as pressures, temperatures and time scales, these rocks can be used to date their formation and may contain chemical signatures of the impacting projectiles. This information can further resolve the collisional history of the inner solar system, including the likelihood of a lunar cataclysm about 4 billion years ago. My research is sample-based and includes lunar, chondritic and HED meteorites, Apollo samples, and impactites from terrestrial impact structures like Chicxulub, Chesapeake Bay, El’gygytgyn and the Ries.
Selected Publications
Wittmann, A., Friedrich, J. M., Troiano, T., Macke, R. J., Britt, D. T., Swindle, T. D., Weirich, J. R., Rumble, D. III, Lasue, J., and Kring, D. A. (2011) H/L chondrite LaPaz Icefield 031047 – A feather of Icarus ?: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 75, 6140-6159.
Weirich, J. R., Wittmann, A., Isachsen, C. E., Rumble, D., Swindle, T. D., and Kring, D. A. (2010) The Ar-Ar Age and Petrology of Miller Range 05029: Evidence for a large impact in the very early Solar System: Meteoritics and Planetary Science 45, 1868-1888.
Wittmann, A., Swindle, T. D., Cheek, L. C., Frank, E. A., and Kring, D. A. (2010) Impact Cratering on the H-Chondrite Parent Asteroid: Journal of Geophysical Research 115, E07009, doi:10.1029/2009JE003433.
Horton, J. W. J., Gibson, R. L., Reimold, W. U., Wittmann, A., Gohn, G. S., and Edwards, L. E. (2009) Geologic columns for the ICDP-USGS Eyreville B core, Chesapeake Bay impact structure: Impactites and crystalline rocks, 1766 to 1096 m depth: Geological Society of America Special Paper 458, 21-49.
Kenkmann, T., Collins, G. S., Wittmann, A., Wünnemann, K., Reimold, W. U., and Melosh, H. J. (2009) A model for the formation of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater as revealed by drilling and numerical simulation: Geological Society of America Special Paper Geological Society of America Special Paper 458, 571-585.
Reimold, W. U., Bartosova, K., Schmitt, R. T., Hansen, B., Crasselt, C., Koeberl, C., Wittmann, A., and Powars, D. S. (2009) Petrographic observations on the Exmore breccia, ICDP-USGS Drilling at Eyreville, Chesapeake Bay impact Structure, USA: Geological Society of America Special Paper, 655-698.
Schmitt, R. T., Bartosova, K., Reimold, W. U., Mader, D., Wittmann, A., Koeberl, C., and Gibson, R. L. (2009) Geochemistry of impactites and crystalline basement-derived lithologies from the ICDP-USGS Eyreville A and B drill cores, Chesapeake Bay impact structure, Virginia/USA, Chesapeake Bay Impact Structure Deep Drilling Project: Geological Society of America Special Paper 458, 481-541.
Wittmann, A., Schmitt, R. T., Hecht, L., Kring, D. A., Reimold, W. U., and Povenmire, H. (2009) Petrology of impact melt rocks from the Chesapeake Bay crater, USA: Geological Society of America Special Paper 458, 377-396.
Wittmann, A., Reimold, W. U., Schmitt, R. T., Hecht, L., and Kenkmann, T. (2009) The record of ground zero in the Chesapeake Bay impact crater - suevites and related rocks, Chesapeake Bay Impact Structure Deep Drilling Project: Geological Society of America Special Paper 458, 349-376.
Mayr, S. I., Wittmann, A., Burkhardt, H., Popov, Y., Romushkevich, R., Bayuk, I., Heidinger, P., and Wilhelm, H. (2008) Integrated Interpretation of Physical Properties of Rocks of the Borehole YAXCOPOIL-1 (Chicxulub impact crater): Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth, v. 113, p. B07201, doi:10.1029/2007JB005420.
Mayr, S. I., Burkhardt, H., Popov, Y., and Wittmann, A. (2008) Estimation of hydraulic permeability considering the micro morphology of rocks of the borehole YAXCOPOIL-1 (Impact crater Chicxulub, Mexico): International Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 97, no. 2, p. 385-399.
Wittmann A., Kenkmann T., Hecht L., Stöffler D. (2007) Reconstruction of the Chicxulub ejecta plume from its deposits in drill core Yaxcopoil-1. Geological Society of America Bulletin 119, no. 9/10, 1151-1167.
Wittmann A., Kenkmann T., Schmitt R. T., Stöffler D. (2006) Shock-metamorphosed zircon in terrestrial impact craters. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 41, 433-454.
Hecht L., Wittmann A., Schmitt R. T., Stöffler D. (2004) Composition of impact melt particles and the effects of post-impact alteration in suevitic rocks at the YAX-1 drill core, Chicxulub crater, Mexico. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, 1169-1186.
Kenkmann T., Wittmann A., Scherler D. (2004) Structure and impact indicators of the Cretaceous Sequence of the ICDP drill core Yaxcopoil-1, Chicxulub impact crater, Mexico. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, 1069-1088.
Schmitt R. T., Wittmann A., Stöffler D. (2004) Geochemistry of drill core samples from Yaxcopoil-1, Chicxulub impact crater, Mexico. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, 979-1002.
Stöffler D., Artemieva N. A., Ivanov B. A., Hecht L., Kenkmann T., Schmitt R. T., Tagle R. A., Wittmann A. (2004) Origin and emplacement of the impact formations at Chicxulub, Mexico, as revealed by the ICDP deep drilling Yaxcopoil-1 and by numerical modeling. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, 1035-1068.
Wittmann A., Kenkmann T., Schmitt R. T., Hecht L., Stöffler D. (2004) Impact related dike breccia lithologies in the ICDP drill core Yaxcopoil-1, Chicxulub impact structure, Mexico. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 39, 931-954.
