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Extinct Superheavy Element in the Allende Meteorite

Journal Article · · Science
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An effort has been made to identify the extinct superheavy element that was present in meteorites and decayed to 131-136Xe by spontaneous fission. To characterize its chemical properties, we have measured 26 trace elements in six mineral fractions from the Allende C3 chondrite that were enriched up to 180- fold in fission Xe. The superheavy element turned out to reside mainly in a rare mineral associated with chromite (probably a Fe, Ni, Cr, Al-sulfide), comprising only 0.04 percent of the meteorite. It is accompanied by volatile, sulfide- seeking elements such as Tl, Bi, Pb, Br, I, and the heavy noble gases Ar, Kr, and Xe, all of which apparently condensed with this mineral when it formed in the solar nebula at some temperature between 4000 and 5000K. Of the nine volatile superheavy elements 111 to 119, only 115, 114, and 113 are expected to condense as sulfides in that temperature interval. Finally, presumably at least one of these elements has an isotope with a half-life in the range 107 to 108 years: too short to survive to the present day, but long enough to leave detectable effects in meteorites.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Chicago
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-33-021067
OSTI ID:
4079038
Journal Information:
Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 4221 Vol. 190; ISSN 0036-8075
Publisher:
AAAS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

*ELEMENT 113-- NATURAL OCCURRENCE
*ELEMENT 114-- NATURAL OCCURRENCE
*ELEMENT 115-- NATURAL OCCURRENCE
*METEORITES-- ISOTOPE RATIO
640107* --Physics Research--Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
CHROMIUM
N56700* --Physics (Astrophysics & Cosmology)--Planetary Phenomena
N68901 --Physics (Nuclear
Experimental)--Nuclear Properties & Reactions
190 <= A <= 219
RARE GASES
SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION
SPONTANEOUS FISSION
SULFIDES
TRANS 104 ELEMENTS
XENON 131
XENON 132
XENON 133
XENON 134
XENON 135
XENON 136