Measuring the Isotopic Composition of Solar Wind Noble Gases

Meshik, A. P.; Hohenberg, C. M.; Pravdivtseva, O. V.; Burnett, D. S.

doi:10.5772/37908

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The increased precision in SW composition, by inference, provides a unique opportunity to better understand the initial solar composition and its relation to the major xenon component trapped in meteorites (Xe-Q). The evidence points out to linear mass fractionation of SW-Xe (favoring the heaviest at 8.0 per mil u -1 ) [5] with variable radiogenic inputs of 129 Xe from decay of 129 I parent [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Accurate Xe Isotope Measurement Using JPL Ion Trap

Madzunkov

Nikolić

2014

J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom.

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We report an approach for the reproducible and accurate compositional analysis of different mixtures of Xe isotopes using miniature Jet Propulsion Laboratory Quadrupole Ion Trap (JPL-QIT). A major study objective was to validate the recent instrumental improvements to the long-term operational stability under different pressures, temperatures, and trapping conditions. We propose that the present device can be used in certification of trace amounts of isotopes in mixtures dominated by one or more isotopes. Measured isotopic compositions are verified against commercially available standards with accuracy better than 0.07%. To aid the analysis of experimental data, we developed a scalable replica fitting method and use peak areas as descriptors of relative isotopic abundances. This low-power and low-mass device is ideally suited for planetary explorations aimed to enhance quantitative analysis for major isotopes present in small amounts of atmospheric samples.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Accurate Xe Isotope Measurement Using JPL Ion Trap

Madzunkov

Nikolić

2014

J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom.

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“…Shown fractions are for major isotopes: 84 Kr and 132 Xe. d Pepin et al, 1995. e Similar to minimization made by Gilmour, 2010. f Meshik et al, 2012. …”

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confidence: 99%

Heavy noble gases in solar wind delivered by Genesis mission

Meshik

Hohenberg

Pravdivtseva

et al. 2014

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

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100

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One of the major goals of the Genesis Mission was to refine our knowledge of the isotopic composition of the heavy noble gases in solar wind and, by inference, the Sun, which represents the initial composition of the solar system. This has now been achieved with permil precision: 36 124 Xe/ 132 Xe = .00491 ± .00007 (error-weighted averages of all published data). The Kr and Xe ratios measured in the Genesis solar wind collectors generally agree with the less precise values obtained from lunar soils and breccias, which have accumulated solar wind over hundreds of millions of years, suggesting little if any temporal variability of the isotopic composition of solar wind krypton and xenon. The higher precision for the initial composition of the heavy noble gases in the solar system allows (1) to confirm that, exept 136 Xe and 134 Xe, the mathematically derived U-Xe is equivalent to Solar Wind Xe and (2) to provide an opportunity for better understanding the relationship between the starting composition and Xe-Q (and Q-Kr), the dominant current "planetary" component, and its host, the mysterious phase-Q.

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“…(); more complex models are generally regarded as necessary, e.g., Gilmour () or Meshik et al. (, ).…”

Section: Genesis Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…) from the Genesis solar wind Xe isotopic compositions (Meshik et al. , ) calculated as: ([M/132] Q /[M/132] SW − 1) × 1000 with M = Xe isotopic mass. Error bars are propagated from errors on the Q and solar wind data.…”

Section: Genesis Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Genesis solar wind sample return mission: Past, present, and future

Burnett

2013

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Abstract-The Genesis Discovery mission returned solar matter in the form of the solar wind with the goal of obtaining precise solar isotopic abundances (for the first time) and greatly improved elemental abundances. Measurements of the light noble gases in regime samples demonstrate that isotopes are fractionated in the solar wind relative to the solar photosphere. Theory is required for correction. Measurement of the solar wind O and N isotopes shows that these are very different from any inner solar system materials. The solar O isotopic composition is consistent with photochemical self-shielding. For unknown reasons, the solar N isotopic composition is much lighter than essentially all other known solar system materials, except the atmosphere of Jupiter. Ne depth profiling on Genesis materials has demonstrated that Ne isotopic variations in lunar samples are due to isotopic fractionation during implantation without appealing to higher energy solar particles.Genesis provides a precise measurement of the isotopic differences of Ar between the solar wind and the terrestrial atmosphere. The Genesis isotopic compositions of Kr and Xe agree with data from lunar ilmenite separates, showing that lunar processes have not affected the ilmenite data and that solar wind composition has not changed on 100 Ma time scales. Relative to Genesis solar wind, ArKrXe in Q (the chondrite noble gas carrier) and the terrestrial atmosphere show relatively large light isotope depletions. GENESIS PAST The Science behind the MissionThe science goals of NASA are to understand the formation, evolution, and present state of the solar system, the galaxy, and the universe. Most planetary missions investigate the present state of planetary objects. In contrast, Genesis has effectively gone back in time to investigate the materials and processes involved in the origin of the solar system by providing precise knowledge of solar isotopic and elemental compositions, a cornerstone data set around which theories for materials, processes, events, and time scales in the solar nebula are built, and from which theories about the evolution of planetary objects begin. Solar = Solar Nebula CompositionThe reason that solar abundances are important for planetary sciences rests on the assumption that the solar photosphere has preserved the average elemental and isotopic composition of the solar nebula. (There are well-known exceptions: D, 3 He, very likely Li.) In turn, the solar nebula is the ultimate source of all planetary objects/materials, which are amazingly diverse. A secondary, simplifying assumption is that the solar nebula composition was uniform in space and time. These assumptions are widely, even subliminally, accepted at present and can be thought of as a kind of cosmochemical standard model. For example, we adopt the standard model when we normalize meteoritic elemental concentration data to CI chondrites. A deduction from the standard model is that large presolar nucleosynthetic isotopic variations have been

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Measuring the Isotopic Composition of Solar Wind Noble Gases

Cited by 13 publications

References 39 publications

Accurate Xe Isotope Measurement Using JPL Ion Trap

Accurate Xe Isotope Measurement Using JPL Ion Trap

Heavy noble gases in solar wind delivered by Genesis mission

The Genesis solar wind sample return mission: Past, present, and future

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