METEORITIC KRYPTON AND BARIUM VERSUS THE GENERAL ISOTOPIC ANOMALIES IN METEORITIC XENON

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(62)90014-5· OSTI ID:4842417

Krummenacher, D; Merrihue, C M; Pepin, R O; Reynolds, J H

General isotopic anomalies in meteoritic xenon are described in detail. Where superior isotopic analyses exist, the xenon anomalies appear to be the same for all meteorites. In other cases there is fair evidence that the xenon examined is a mixture of meteoritic and contaminating atmospheric xenon. Two superior krypton analyses for carbonaceous chondrites show no anomalies which are significant in ccmparison with those for xenon. Barium from the Richardton chondrite is of normal isotopic composition. Cyclotron deuterons produce no Xe/ sup 124/ in a tellurium target, although the other xenon isotopes, which are in excess in meteorites, are produced. A number of possible mechanisms for producing the general anomalies are discussed and found wanting. One of them calls for excess terrestrial fission xenon and for transfer of solar xenon to the atmosphere. It thus involves reasonable processes, but, as is shown, requires unreasonable yields for spontaneous fission. A mechanism that calls for excess meteoritic fission xenon and for gross mass fractionation of terrestrial xenon is proposed. It thus produces the observed anomalies accurately, but by somewhat unlikely processes. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Berkeley
• NSA Number: NSA-16-017892
• OSTI ID: 4842417
• Journal Information: Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta, Journal Name: Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta Vol. Vol: 26
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ATMOSPHERE
BARIUM ISOTOPES
CYCLOTRONS
DEUTERON BEAMS
DISTRIBUTION
FISSION PRODUCTS
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
KRYPTON ISOTOPES
METEORITES
MIXING
QUANTITY RATIO
SUN
TARGETS
TELLURIUM
XENON 124
XENON ISOTOPES