First complete isotopic analysis of Solar Wind heavy noble gases in Genesis Aluminum collectors

Details First complete isotopic analysis of Solar Wind heavy noble gases in Genesis Aluminum collectors First complete isotopic analysis of Solar Wind heavy noble gases in Genesis Aluminum collectors

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufm.p43a1643m&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #P43A-1643

Physics

[6200] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects

Scientific paper

Analyses of noble gases implanted into Genesis Solar Wind (SW) collectors and their comparison with the gases from solar-wind rich lunar and meteoritic materials may constrain an extent of temporal variations of isotopic composition of the solar wind. Here we report our isotope measurements of all heavy noble gas isotopes including low abundant 126Xe, 124Xe and 78Kr. Two aluminum Genesis collectors were used in this study: Aluminum on Sapphire (AloS) and Polished Aluminum Collector (PAC). Solar Wind (SW) noble gases were extracted using IR- and UV-lasers operated in Q-switched mode. Purified gases were analyzed in the modified 8-multiplier mass spectrometer Noblesse, custom built by Nu-Instruments (UK) for microanalyses of heavy noble gases. SW-Ar was analyzed using UV-depth profiling, which clearly demonstrated depth dependant isotope fractionation caused by SW-implantation at constant ion velocities. The cumulative SW-Ar composition is in good agreement with our earlier analyses made by a single multiplier mass spectrometer (36Ar/38Ar = 5.501 ± 0.002, [1]). SW-Kr was found to have the following isotopic composition: 86Kr/84Kr = .3012 ± .0004, 83Kr/84Kr = .2034 ± .0002, 82Kr/84Kr = .2054 ± .0002, 80Kr/84Kr = .0412 ± .0002, and 78Kr/84Kr = .00642 ± .00005. These results are statistically indistinguishable from SW-Kr composition based on the lunar regolith data [2]. Our best current estimate of SW-Xe composition obtained from 25 independent analyses ran at different experimental conditions is: 136Xe/132Xe = .3003 ± .0006, 134Xe/132Xe = .3692 ± .0007, 131Xe/132Xe = .8263 ± .0013, 130Xe/132Xe = .1649 ± .0004, 129Xe/132Xe = 1.0401 ± .00010, 128Xe/132Xe = .0842 ± .0003, 126Xe/132Xe = .00417 ± .00009, and 124Xe/132Xe = .00492 ± .00007. Although small systematical difference between these numbers and lunar SW-Xe is observed, more accurate SW-Xe lunar regolith measurements are required to understand whether or not these differences are real. The total amounts of heavy noble gases accumulated over 853 days of collection are: (2.81 ± .19)E+10, (1.08 ± .05)E+07, and (1.15 ± .04)E+06 atoms/cm2 of 36Ar, 84Kr and 132Xe correspondently. This work is supported by NASA grant NNX07AM76G. [1] Meshik A. P. et al. Science 318, 2007, [2] Pepin R. O. et al. 1995. GCA 59.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

First complete isotopic analysis of Solar Wind heavy noble gases in Genesis Aluminum collectors does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with First complete isotopic analysis of Solar Wind heavy noble gases in Genesis Aluminum collectors, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and First complete isotopic analysis of Solar Wind heavy noble gases in Genesis Aluminum collectors will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-871855