Dehydration of a gypsum mineral induced by shock compression: a micro-Raman analysis

Abstract

In this article we report the phase transitions induced by shock-compression on a sample of gypsum mineral. The shock experiment was performed in a light gas gun until a pressure close to 14 GPa. The experimental technique employed to analyze the shock effects on the ``recovered sample'' was the Micro-Raman Spectroscopy (MRS). The results indicate the partial dehydration of gypsum as a result of impact. The MRS analysis also suggests the presence of micro-mixtures of gypsum, bassanite and anhydrite heterogeneously distributed throughout the ``recovered sample''.