In situ dating on Mars: A new approach to the K–Ar method utilizing cosmogenic argon

Cassata, William S.

doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.07.040

Title: In situ dating on Mars: A new approach to the K–Ar method utilizing cosmogenic argon

Journal Article · Thu Aug 22 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Acta Astronautica

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.07.040· OSTI ID:1438660

Cassata, William S. ^[1]

Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

In this paper, cosmogenic argon isotopes are produced in feldspars via nuclear reactions between cosmic rays and Ca and K atoms within the lattice. These cosmogenic isotopes can be used as proxies for K and Ca, much like nuclear reactor-derived ³⁹Ar and ³⁷Ar are used as proxies for K and Ca, respectively, in ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology. If Ca and K are uniformly distributed, then the ratio of radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar (⁴⁰Ar*) to cosmogenic ³⁸Ar or ³⁶Ar (³⁸Ar_cos or ³⁶Ar_cos) is proportional to the difference between the radioisotopic and exposure ages, as well as the K/Ca ratio of the degassing phase. Thus cosmogenic, radiogenic, and trapped Ar isotopes, all of which can be measured remotely and are stable over geologic time, are sufficient to generate an isochron-like diagram from which the isotopic composition of the trapped component may be inferred. Finally, such data also provide a means to assess the extent to which the system has remained closed with respect to ⁴⁰Ar*, thereby mitigating otherwise unquantifiable uncertainties that complicate the conventional K–Ar dating method.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1438660

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-636235; TRN: US1900477

Journal Information:: Acta Astronautica, Vol. 94, Issue 1; ISSN 0094-5765

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 3 works

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