New measurement of the 238U decay constant with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [New Measurement of the U-238 Decay Constant with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry]
Abstract
The 238U decay constant (λ U-238) is fundamental to radioisotope-based chronometry in the Earth and planetary sciences, yet only a single published λ U-238 value (Jaffey et al. in Phys Rev C 4(5):1889–1906, 1971) is widely applied. We have determined λ U-238 via the novel approach of measuring of 234Th ingrowth in high-purity 238U solutions, using isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID-MS). The 234Th decay constant (λ Th-234) was measured via decay counting with high-purity Ge (HPGe) $$\gamma$$ detectors. Preliminary results for λ U-238 agree with the value determined by $a$-counting [1] within the elevated uncertainty of 0.462% (k = 2). Ongoing efforts to reproduce λ U-238 with reduced experimental uncertainties will inform future conclusions.
- Authors:
-
[1];
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science; Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1512607
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-752487
Journal ID: ISSN 0236-5731; 938051
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 318; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0236-5731
- Publisher:
- Springer
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY; Uranium; Thorium; Half-life; Decay constant; Radiochronometry; Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Citation Formats
Parsons-Davis, Tashi, Wimpenny, Josh, Keller, C. Brenhin, Thomas, Keenan, Samperton, Kyle M., Renne, Paul R., Mundil, Roland, Moody, Ken, Knight, Kim, Kristo, Michael J., and Williams, Ross. New measurement of the 238U decay constant with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [New Measurement of the U-238 Decay Constant with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry]. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1007/s10967-018-6148-y.
Parsons-Davis, Tashi, Wimpenny, Josh, Keller, C. Brenhin, Thomas, Keenan, Samperton, Kyle M., Renne, Paul R., Mundil, Roland, Moody, Ken, Knight, Kim, Kristo, Michael J., & Williams, Ross. New measurement of the 238U decay constant with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [New Measurement of the U-238 Decay Constant with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry]. United States. doi:10.1007/s10967-018-6148-y.
Parsons-Davis, Tashi, Wimpenny, Josh, Keller, C. Brenhin, Thomas, Keenan, Samperton, Kyle M., Renne, Paul R., Mundil, Roland, Moody, Ken, Knight, Kim, Kristo, Michael J., and Williams, Ross. Wed .
"New measurement of the 238U decay constant with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [New Measurement of the U-238 Decay Constant with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry]". United States. doi:10.1007/s10967-018-6148-y. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1512607.
@article{osti_1512607,
title = {New measurement of the 238U decay constant with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [New Measurement of the U-238 Decay Constant with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry]},
author = {Parsons-Davis, Tashi and Wimpenny, Josh and Keller, C. Brenhin and Thomas, Keenan and Samperton, Kyle M. and Renne, Paul R. and Mundil, Roland and Moody, Ken and Knight, Kim and Kristo, Michael J. and Williams, Ross},
abstractNote = {The 238U decay constant (λU-238) is fundamental to radioisotope-based chronometry in the Earth and planetary sciences, yet only a single published λU-238 value (Jaffey et al. in Phys Rev C 4(5):1889–1906, 1971) is widely applied. We have determined λU-238 via the novel approach of measuring of 234Th ingrowth in high-purity 238U solutions, using isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID-MS). The 234Th decay constant (λTh-234) was measured via decay counting with high-purity Ge (HPGe) $\gamma$ detectors. Preliminary results for λU-238 agree with the value determined by $a$-counting [1] within the elevated uncertainty of 0.462% (k = 2). Ongoing efforts to reproduce λU-238 with reduced experimental uncertainties will inform future conclusions.},
doi = {10.1007/s10967-018-6148-y},
journal = {Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry},
number = 1,
volume = 318,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {8}
}
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