The Xenon Record of Extinct Radioactivities in the Earth

Author

Mervet S. Boulos
Oliver Manuel, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow

Abstract

Analyses of xenon from well gas rich in carbon dioxide reveal a large excess of radiogenic xenon-129 from the decay of extinct iodine-129. Smaller excesses observed in the heavy xenon isotopes are from fission. These results place narrow limits on any age difference between the earth and the oldest meteorites. The occurrence of excess radiogenic xenon-129 in well gas also suggests that any quantitative degassing of existing solid materials to form the atmosphere must have been limited to a very early period of the earth's history, approximately the first 10⁸ years. Alternatively, this observation is consistent with a model of the earth's continuous, but still incomplete, degassing since its time of formation.

Recommended Citation

M. S. Boulos and O. Manuel, "The Xenon Record of Extinct Radioactivities in the Earth," Science, vol. 174, pp. 1334 - 1336, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Dec 1971.

Department(s)

Chemistry

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0036-8075

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1971 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 1971