s-Process zirconium in presolar silicon carbide grains

Journal Article · Fri Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 1997 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.277.5330.1281· OSTI ID:569461

Nicolussi, G K ^[1]; Davis, A M; Clayton, R N ^[1]; Pellin, M J ^[2]

---

1. Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States)
2. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); and others

The isotopic composition of zirconium in silicon carbide grains from the Murchison meteorite was measured by resonant ionization mass spectrometry of laser-ablated neural atoms. These grains are condensates from the atmospheres of red giant stars that existed before the formation of our sun and solar system, and they contain records of nucleosynthesis in these stars. The r-process-dominated isotope zirconium-96 was depleted by more than a factor of 2 compared with the s-process-dominated isotopes zirconium-90, zirconium-91, zirconium-92, and zirconium-94, in agreement with expectations for neutron capture nucleosynthesis in asymptotic giant branch stars. 44 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 569461
• Journal Information: Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 5330 Vol. 277; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ISOTOPES
METEORITES
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
RED GIANT STARS
S PROCESS
SILICON CARBIDES
ZIRCONIUM