Where am I?

This image is definitely not typical, but is a good example of a map. That is, the colors are mapped across a flat specimen in accordance with the information detected. Whereas you might be able to imagine yourself at 35,000 feet looking down, you are actually much closer. The dimension of the horizontal is 60microns, and although the colors are intended to depict reality, the colors are actually false. Clicking on this image will show you a higher resolution image.

If this isn't mapping one of Jupiter's frozen moons, then I give up!

This specimen is 100% SiO₂ in spite of the obvious inhomogeneity, and is an example of cathodo-luminescence from a stress-shocked quartz. The actual colors being fluoresced is not known, but might range from pinks to blue. An educated guess would be blue. Three levels of CL are observed; bright , medium and none. The dark regions may be SiO₂ glass, but the structure is too fine to know for sure. The mechanism for bright CL is not known.

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updated: 17 January 1997