Particle velocity profiles upon shock compression and adiabatic release were measured for polycrystalline calcite (Solenhofen limestone) to 12-24 GPa and for porous calcite (Dover chalk, &rgr;0=1.40 g/cm3, 49% porosity) to between 5 and 11 GPa. The electromagnetic particle velocity gauge method was used. Upon shock compression of Solenhofen limestone, the Hugoniot elastic limit was determined to vary from 0.36 to 0.45 GPa. Transition shocks at between 2.5 and 3.7 GPa, possibly arising from the calcite II-III transition, were observed. For the Solenhofen limestone, the release paths lie relatively close to the Hugoniot.

Evidence for the occurrence of the calcite III-II transition upon release was observed, but no rarefaction shocks were detected. Initial release wave speeds suggest retention of shear strength up to at least 20 GPa, with a possible loss of shear strength at higher pressures. The measured equation of state is used to predict the fraction of material devolatilized upon adiabatic release as a function of shock pressure. The effect of ambient partial pressure of CO2 on the calculations is demonstrated. PCO2 should be taken into account in models of atmospheric evolution by means of impact-induced mineral devolatilization. Mass fractions of CO2 released expected on the basis of a continuum model are much lower than determined experimentally. This discrepancy, and radiative characteristics of shocked calcite, indicate that localization of thermal energy (shear banding) occurs under shock compression even though no solid-solid transitions occur in this pressure range. Release adiabatic data indicate that Dover chalk loses its shear strength when shocked to 10 GPa pressure.

At 5 GPa the present data are ambiguous regarding shear strength. For Dover chalk, continuum shock entropy calculations result in a minimum estimate of 90% devolatilization upon complete release from 10 GPa. For calcite, isentropic release paths from calculated continuum Hugoniot temperatures cross into the CaO (solid) + CO2 (vapor) field at improbably low pressures (for example, 10-7 GPa for a shock pressure of 25 GPa). However, calculated isentropic release paths originating from PT points corresponding to previous color temperature under shock measurements cross into the melt plus vapor field at pressures greater than 0.5 GPa, suggesting that devolatilization is initiated at the shear banding sites.