Ion beam study of a possible extraterrestrial body signature in Libyan Desert Glass

Ion beams have been employed to get micro-PIXE measurements and ionoluminescence analyses on a natural silica glass, known as Libyan desert glass (LDG), representing a probable fusion product of desert sandstone due to the impact of an extraterrestrial body. In particular some brown streaks, which are present in a few specimens and considered as traces of the impactor, have been characterized. The presence of discrete bands with different luminescence intensity has been revealed by both ionoluminescence and cathodoluminescence. Several hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain the luminescence properties of this material. Finally, the usefulness of the synergic combination of ionoluminescence and micro-PIXE, to characterize LDG, has been showed.