XENOLOGY

Journal Article · Wed May 15 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Journal of Geophysical Research (U.S.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ068i010p02939· OSTI ID:4714634

Reynolds, J H

Work in the field of xenon isotope abundances in meteorites is discussed in the context of current theories about the formation of the heavy elements and the early history of the solar system. Using a model in which the special (Xe/ sup 129*/) anomaly is due to decay of I/sup 129/ produced in the principal galactic synthesis, it is concluded that meteorites Abee and Richardton began to retain radiogenic xenon 52 million years after the cessation of nucleosynthesis. The xenon-retentive phase of the Bruderheim meteorite was formed 17 million years earlier, a result that depends very little on the model chosen for the origin of the I/sup 129/. An iron meteorite appears to have cooled about 200 million years later than Abee. The general anomalies in meteorites, including carbonaceous chondrites, are not fixed but vary with release temperature in a heating experiment, suggesting that components of different isotopic composition are being fractionated in the release of the gas. A search for fissionogenic xenon in meteorites has yielded very definite evidence of two components of xenon in some meteorites, especially convincing results being presented for chondrules from the Bjurbole meteorite. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Berkeley
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-023528
• OSTI ID: 4714634
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research (U.S.), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 68; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
AGE ESTIMATION
ASTROPHYSICS
BIOCHEMISTRY
COOLING
DECAY
FISSION PRODUCTS
GASES
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
HEATING
IODINE 129
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
LOSSES
METEORITES
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
QUANTITY RATIO
TESTING
XENON 129
XENON ISOTOPES