Final answer:
Shock metamorphism is characterized by shocked quartz, impact melts, high-pressure minerals, veins and breccias, and impact features.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic features of shock metamorphism are the result of intense pressure and rapid changes in temperature that occur during a meteorite impact. These features include:
- Shocked quartz: Quartz grains in the rock are deformed and exhibit planar fractures, called planar deformation features (PDFs).
- Impact melts: The heat from the impact causes some rocks to melt, forming glassy or crystalline materials.
- High-pressure minerals: Under the extreme conditions of shock metamorphism, new minerals can form that are not commonly found in other types of metamorphic rocks, such as coesite and stishovite.
- Veins and breccias: The high-pressure shock waves can create fractures in the rock, filled with new minerals or fragmented rock fragments.
- Impact features: In addition to the mineralogical changes, shock metamorphism can also produce features like shatter cones and impact craters.