Xenon in Natural Gases

Author

Garry A. Bennett
Oliver Manuel, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow

Abstract

Analyses of noble gases from four natural gases reveal radiogenic He⁴ and Ar⁴⁰, excess Ne²¹ and Ar³⁸ from α-induced reactions and an excess of the β-unshielded xenon isotopes with an abundance pattern unlike that from the spontaneous fission of U²³⁸. The pattern of excess Xe¹²⁹, Xe¹³¹, Xe¹³², Xe¹³⁴ and Xe¹³⁶ in these gas samples is such that a mixture of this xenon with the primordial xenon in meteorites could produce the abundance pattern of atmospheric xenon for all isotopes heavier than Xe¹²⁸. It is suggested that this strange "fission-yield" pattern is the result of a mechanism suggested earlier by Cameron: The addition of β-shielded xenon isotopes to the atmosphere by the solar wind. By modifying Cameron's hypothesis so that solar-wind xenon contains excess Xe¹²⁴ and Xe¹²⁶ in addition to Xe¹²⁸ and Xe¹³⁰, the addition of this solar wind xenon to atmospheric and meteoritic xenon can account for the general isotopic anomaly pattern observed across meteoritic xenon, the very low fission yields of Xe¹³¹ and Xe¹³² reported in xenon-rich meteorites and the high fission yields of Xe¹³¹ and Xe¹³² which have been calculated for xenon in gas wells and in the earth's atmosphere.

Recommended Citation

G. A. Bennett and O. Manuel, "Xenon in Natural Gases," Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 34, pp. 593 - 610, Elsevier Limited, May 1970.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(70)90018-9

Department(s)

Chemistry

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0016-7037

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1970 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 May 1970