Hollow magnetic microspherules from along the lower Younger Dryas boundary (c. 12.9 ka bp) in New Mexico (USA) were studied using scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, X‐ray diffraction, and laser‐ablation inductively coupled‐plasma mass spectrometry methods. The shell of the microspherules (10–15% of the spherule's diameter) displays dendritic surface textures, which are likely due to quenching during rapid cooling of molten material. Structurally, multiple single‐magnetite crystals attached together form the bulk of the microspherules. Iron dominates the microspherules’ composition (∼90% FeOtot), Mn is the second most abundant element (up to 0.4% MnO), Al is detected in low concentrations (<0.30% of Al2O3). Among the trace elements, the rare earth elements display slightly fractionated patterns with concentrations of 0.1–1.0× CI chondrite. The microspherules contain elevated concentrations of Ni relative to detrital magnetite (up to 435 ppm) and very low concentrations of Ti (down to 5 ppm). Chemical, structural and mineralogical features of the microspherules do not contradict the existing models of the formation during ablation while a meteoroid goes through the Earth's atmosphere. Elevated concentrations of the magnetic microspherules in sediments can be a stratigraphic marker for the lower Younger Dryas boundary in North America.
Between February 8-11, 2016, selected artifacts from the Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark (LA3324) were scanned in advance of a grant proposal to digitally aggregate the Clovis-era artifacts from the Clovis type site. These data were collected using a NextEngineHD running ScanStudioHD Pro, and were post-processed in Geomagic Design X 2016.0.1. All data associated with this project have been made publicly available (open access) and are accessible in Zenodo under a Creative Commons Attribution license, where they can be downloaded for use in additional projects and learning activities. These data have the capacity to augment a variety of research designs spanning the digital humanities, applications of geometric morphometrics, and many others. Additionally, these scans will augment a wide range of comparative research topics throughout the Americas and beyond. Reuse potential for these data is significant.
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