ARGON-37, ARGON-39, AND TRITIUM IN METEORITES AND THE SPATIAL CONSTANCY OF COSMIC RAYS
The radioactive isotopes Ar/sup 37/, Ar/sup 39/, and tritium are measured in the Hamlet chondritic meteorite and in the Aroos iron meteorite. The ratio of the radioactivity of Ar/sup 37/ to that of Ar/sup 39/ atthe time of fall is 2.3 plus or minus 0.2 for the Hanflet meteorite and 1.4 plus or minus 0.3 for the Aroos meteorite. The ratio of the production rate of Ar/sup 37/ to that of Ar/sup 39/ in a sample of the Hamlet meteorite irradiated with 2-Bev protons is 1.2 plus or minus 0.3. These measurements indicate a higher flux of cosmic rays at a distance of 1 astronomical unit from the sun than at several astronomical units. The ratio of the radioactivity of tritium to that of Ar/sup 39/ is 29 plus or minus 6 for the Hamlet meteorite and 2.0 plus or minus 0.5 for the Aroos meteorite. The ratio of the production rates in the Hamlet target sample is 24 plus or minus 6. The ratio of tritium to Ar/sup 39/ in the Benton chondritic meteorite is 29 plus or minus 4. The data indicate that the cosmic- ray flux integrated over the same region of space for different times is constant. The tritium is anomalously low in the Aroos iron meteorite. Similar tritium anomalies were observed previously in iron meteorites. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-002031
- OSTI ID:
- 4120777
- Journal Information:
- J. Geophys. Research, Vol. Vol: 65; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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