Cosmogenic isotope and track records in meteorites and their implications to cosmic ray fluxes

Study of several cosmic ray effects, such as VH track density, spallogenic²⁶Al and⁵³Mn activity,²¹Ne and²²Ne/²¹Ne ratio, made in the same sample or in cores taken from different meteorites can identify parameters related to the exposure history of meteorites and cosmic ray flux variations. Meteorites with single or multiple exposure can be distinguished from a track production rate —²²Ne/²¹Ne correlation diagram and cosmic ray flux variations over 10⁶–10⁷ years can be deduced from a three-isotope correlation diagram of²⁶Al,⁵³Mn and²¹Ne. Isotopic data based on chondrites with simple, one-stage exposure are consistent with the same average galactic cosmic ray intensity over the past 2 million years as that during the past 10⁷ years.     

The cosmic ray record in the San Juan Capistrano meteorite

An integrated study of the cosmic ray exposure history of the San Juan Capistrano meteorite was carried out using measurements of rare gas isotopic abundances, particle track densities and radioisotope concentrations. Spallation systematics determined for Kr isotopes in lunar samples are shown to be valid also for the San Juan Capistrano and St. Severin meteorites, thus allowing us to determine a reliable ⁸¹Kr/⁸³Kr production ratio as needed for applying the ⁸¹Kr-Kr dating method. The ⁸¹Kr-Kr age of SJC is 28.7 ± 2.0 Myr, about 35% longer than ages determined by spallation He or Ne. The minimum observed track production rate (2.6 × 10⁵ tracks/cm² · Myr) sets a minimum of 8 cm for the preatmospheric radius of an assumed spherical body. Track density gradients and the low ⁶⁰Co activity (<2.9 dpm/g Co) both set an upper limit of 10 cm to the radius. Track results show that ablation losses have averaged 6cm. The relative spallation yields of ⁷⁸Kr and ⁸³Kr, and the ratios ³He/²¹Ne and ²²Ne/²¹Ne are all compatible with a hard irradiation as would be experienced by a sample depth of about 6 cm in a body of 8–10 cm. The low activities of ⁵⁴Mn, ²²Na and ²⁶Al are also consistent with these irradiation conditions.     

Solar and cosmogenic argon in dated lunar impact spherules

We have studied lunar impact spherules from the Apollo 12 and Apollo 14 landing sites, examining the isotopic composition of argon released by stepwise heating. Elsewhere, we reported the formation ages of these spherules, determined by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar isochron method. Here, we discuss solar and cosmogenic argon from the same spherules, separating these two components by correlating their partial releases with the releases of calcium-derived ³⁷Ar on a “cosmochron” diagram. We use the abundances of cosmogenic argon to derive a cosmic ray exposure age for each spherule, and demonstrate that single scoops of lunar soil contain spherules which have experienced very different histories of exposure and burial. The solar argon is seen to be separated into isotopically lighter and heavier fractions, which presumably were implanted to different depths in the spherules. The abundance of the isotopically heavy solar argon is too great to explain as a minor constituent of the solar particle flux, such as the suprathermal tail of the solar wind. The fact that the spherules have been individually dated allows us to look for possible variations in the solar wind as a function of time, over the history of the Solar System. However, the isotopic composition and fluence of solar argon preserved in the lunar spherules appear to be independent of formation age. We believe that most of the spherules are saturated with solar argon, having reached a condition in which implantation by the solar wind is offset by losses from solar-wind sputtering and diffusion.     

Meteoritic trace elements in lunar rock 14321, 184

The 16 trace elements (Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn) were measured by radiochemical neutron activation analysis in six samples of 14321, 184: microbreccia-2 (15), microbreccia-3 (14A, 16A and 19A), basaltic clast (1A), and light matrix material (9A). The 14321 microbreccias typically contain a siderophile-rich ancient meteoritic component, poor in volatiles, which is characterized by low $\text{Ir}\text{Au}$ and $\text{Re}\text{Au}$ ratios (0.25-0.38 and 0.34-0.50, respectively, normalized to Cl). This component also occurs in Apollo 12 KREEP glasses, norite fractions of Apollo 14 1–2 mm soils, Apennine Front breccias, and Cayley Formation material, and may represent ejecta from the Imbrian basin.The basaltic clast 14321, 184-1A closely resembles 14053 in trace element content, and both are 5–10 times higher than mare basalts in volatile trace elements (Br, Cd, Tl). The light matrix material contains 9.2 ± 0.5 per cent of microbreccias, judging from its siderophile content.     

Variations of the cosmic ray fluxes as a possible earthquake precursor

Variations of the air pressure, cosmic ray fluxes, sunspot numbers, and interplanetary magnetic field in connection with strong earthquake occurrences are studied. The results of this investigation permits one to consider the variations of the cosmic rays as one of the possible cause of air pressure variations and one of the possible earthquake precursors.     

Apollo 11月壤样品中太阳风成因的水及其意义

为研究太阳风成因水在月表低纬度地区的分布特征,本文对中国科学院地质与地球物理研究所博物馆珍藏的一份Apollo 11月壤样品开展了单颗粒原位纳米离子探针H同位素和水含量深度剖面分析。结果表明月壤颗粒表层（< 200nm）具有较高的水含量（剖面最大水含量变化范围为0.35%~1.59%,平均值为0.82%）,该结果与前人对Apollo样品的报导类似。除一颗斜长石的H同位素组成（δD=-262‰）落在月幔范围内,其余颗粒表层均非常贫D（δD变化范围为-987‰~-642‰）。该强烈贫D的同位素组成与太阳风一致,完全不同于地球大气水,不仅证明这些样品的月球来源,并且主要是太阳风注入的贡献。矿物颗粒之间的水含量和δD值变化,很可能与太阳风注入后的扩散丢失程度不同有关。另外,我们观察到橄榄石、单斜辉石和长石的水含量剖面比较类似,整体呈现随深度逐渐递减的趋势。相比之下,玻璃质颗粒的水含量剖面呈现随深度先上升再降低的峰形特征,峰位在25~43nm深度。这两者之间的差异很可能跟H在矿物和玻璃中的扩散速率、辐射损伤层等的差异有关。本项研究也证明,即使对于H这样易于受地球污染的元素,在普通条件下（北京、瓶中密封）经过长达50多年的时间,仍能很好地保存注入月壤颗粒中的太阳风信息。但是低温、干燥和真空/惰性气体环境仍是长期保存的有利条件。

     

A lunar rock of deep crustal origin: sample 76535

Lunar sample 76535 is a coarse-grained troctolitic granulite exhibiting a texture indicative of long annealing times. It is composed of homogeneous crystals of plagioclase (58 per cent, An₉₆), olivine (37 per cent, Fo₈₈) and bronzite (4 per cent, En₈₆).Chromian spinel-bronzite-diopside (Wo₄₆En₅₀Fs₄) symplectic intergrowths commonly occur along olivine-plagioclase boundaries and as tiny inclusions within olivine grains. These symplectites apparently formed by a reaction of the type:

$\text{OI + An + Chromite → Opx + Cpx + Al-Mg-chromite}$

. The reaction is related to the experimentally determined reaction

$\text{OI + An = Opx + Cpx + Sp}$

of Kushiro and Yoder (1966). The enstatite content of the diopside coexisting with the bronzite indicates equilibration at about 1000°C. Thermodynamic calculations for 1000°C indicate that the symplectites formed at a minimum pressure of about 0.6 kb. Low alumina contents of the pyroxenes indicate equilibration near this minimum pressure.Clusters of the same assemblage found in the symplectic intergrowths, but containing accessory metal, troilite, Ca-phosphates, baddeleyite, plagioclase and/or K-feldspar occur sporadically throughout the rock. These apparent late stage products crystallized in the low temperature-high pressure region discussed above.Phase relations of co-existing metal phases indicate that the rock cooled at a few tens of degrees/my, corresponding to depths of 10–20 km below the lunar surface, in agreement with the above pressure estimate.We infer that 76535 represents an original cumulate deposited at a depth between about 10 and 30 km. The last liquid crystallized in the relatively high pressure-low temperature field opx + cpx + Al-Mg-chromite. Cooling was extremely slow and accompanied by extensive chemical and textural re-equilibration. Reaction to form the symplectites occurred during the late stages of re-equilibration.     

Noble gas concentrations and cosmic ray exposure ages of eight recently fallen chondrites

Abundances and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, Ar, and Xe have been measured in eight recently fallen chondrites. Ratios of concentrations of cosmic ray-produced ³He, ²¹Ne, ²²Ne and ³⁸Ar indicate that all eight samples experienced less than average cosmic ray shielding. ³He and ²¹Ne exposure ages were calculated using shielding corrected chondritic production rates and the measured ${}^{22}\text{Ne}{}^{21}\text{Ne}$. Exposure ages calculated from ${}^{22}\text{Na}{}^{22}\text{Ne}$ and ${}^{26}\text{Al}{}^{21}\text{Ne}$ ratios and constant relative production rates show a bias between the two ages due to variations in ${}^{22}\text{Na}{}^{26}\text{Al}$. Arguments are presented that this bias is due to irradiation hardness differences, and therefore the use of constant values for both the ${}^{22}\text{Na}{}^{22}\text{Ne}$ and ${}^{26}\text{Al}{}^{21}\text{Ne}$ production ratios is not permitted. Dwaleni, Swaziland, was found to be an unusual gas-rich chondrite with high concentrations of solar-derived He and Ne and planetary-type Xe.     

Noble gases,nitrogen and cosmic ray exposure age of the Sulagiri chondrite

The Sulagiri meteorite fell in India on 12 September 2008,LL6 chondrite class is the largest among all the Indian meteorites.Isotopic compositions of noble gases(He,Ne,Ar,Kr and Xe) and nitrogen in the Sulagiri meteorite and cosmic ray exposure history are discussed.Low cosmogenic(~(22)Ne/~(21)Ne)_c ratio is consistent with irradiation in a large body.Cosmogenic noble gases indicate that Sulagiri has a 4πcosmic-ray exposure(CRE) age of 27.9 ± 3.4 Ma and is a member of the peak of CRE age distribution of IX chondrites.Radiogenic ~4He and ~(40)Ar concentrations in Sulagiri yields the radiogenic ages as 2.29 and4.56 Ca,indicating the loss of He from the meteorite.Xenon and krypton are mixture of Q and spallogenic components.     

吉林陨石的热释光剖面与母体宇宙暴露历史示踪

对３个已知取样浓度和３个未知取样部位的吉林陨石样品的热释光研究表明,其自然热释光值具有宇宙成因核素含量相似的性质即浓度分布效应,随着样品距离表面位置的增大而降低,这表征了母体暴露期间宇宙射线的分布状况。诱导热释光数据表明,母体表面部分的样品的峰温和峰宽高于较深部位样品,说明这些样品中发光体矿物由有序态向无序态转化趋势明显。表面位置样品明显高的热释光数据说明在母体暴露过程中,除了银河宇宙射线外,太阳     

Irradiation history and atmospheric ablation of meteorites: Results from cosmic ray track studies

The dominant component of nuclear tracks observed in meteoritic minerals poor in uranium is produced by cosmic ray very heavy (vh:Z>20) nuclei. Studies of cosmic ray tracks and other cosmogenic effects in meteorites give us information on the irradiation history of these meteorites and enable us to estimate the extent of ablation during their atmospheric transit, and hence their pre-atmospheric masses. In a specific type of meteorite, known asgas-rich meteorite, one finds individual grains and xenoliths that have received solar flare and galactic cosmic ray irradiation prior to the formation of these meteorites. Detailed studies of these exotic components give insight into the accretionary processes occurring in the early history of the solar system. Some of the important results obtained from such studies and their implications to meteoritics are summarized.     

Solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays in the three-dimensional heliosphere according to meteorite data

Cosmogenic radionuclides with distinctive half-lives from chondritic falls were used as natural detectors of galactic cosmic rays (GCR). A unique series of uniform data was obtained for variations in the integral gradients of GCR with a rigidity of R > 0.5 GV in 1955–2000 on heliocentric distances of 1.5–3.3 AU and heliographic latitudes between 23° S and 16° N. Correlation analysis was performed for the variations in GCR gradients and variations in solar activity (number of sunspots, SS, and intensity of the green coronal line, GCL), the intensity of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and the inclination of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). Distribution and variations of GCR were analyzed in 11-year solar cycles and during a change in 22-year magnetic cycles. The detected dependencies of GCR gradients on the intensity of IMF and HCS inclination provided insight into the differences in the processes of structural transformation of IMF during changes between various phases of solar and magnetic cycles. The investigated relationships lead to the conclusion that a change of secular solar cycles occurred during solar cycle 20; moreover, there is probably still an increase in the 600-year solar cycle, which can be among the major reasons for the observed global warming.     

基于方位伽马的煤岩界面探测数值模拟研究

为满足随钻方位伽马地质导向钻进需求,通过数值模拟研究围岩厚度和吸收系数不同情况下伽马射线强度响应值。模拟分析伽马探测器在含放射性地层条件下,伽马测量值API反映空间物理特征的差异性。在此基础上,建立八扇区随钻方位伽马钻进煤、泥、灰岩3层地质模型,模拟钻进煤层顶底板识别过程。模拟结果表明:当岩层吸收系数由0.08变为0.10时伽马射线强度减小一半,伽马幅度变化能够反映钻进地层岩性,而上下伽马变化顺序能够指示穿越煤层顶板或底板及分界面所在位置;当小角度穿层时,探测器到钻头的距离分别为1、3、7 m时,能够监测前方钻进8、6、2 m地层物性的变化。顺层钻进模拟可为地质导向工程提供技术指导,提高钻进效率减少无效进尺。      

Solar and proxy-sensitivity imprints on paleohydrological records for the last millennium in west-central Europe

This paper presents a lake-level record established for the last millennium at Lake Saint-Point in the French Jura Mountains. A comparison of this lake-level record with a solar irradiance record supports the hypothesis of a solar forcing of variations in the hydrological cycle linked to climatic oscillations over the last millennium in west-central Europe, with higher lake levels during the solar minimums of Oort (around AD 1060), Wolf (around AD 1320), Spörer (around AD 1450), Maunder (around AD 1690), and Dalton (around AD 1820). Further comparisons of the Saint-Point record with the fluctuations of the Great Aletsch Glacier (Swiss Alps) and a record of Rhône River floods from Lake Bourget (French Alps) give evidence of possible imprints of proxy sensitivity on reconstructed paleohydrological records. In particular, the Great Aletsch record shows an increasing glacier mass from AD 1350 to 1850, suggesting a cumulative effect of the Little Ice Age cooling and/or a possible reflection of a millennial-scale general cooling until the mid-19th century in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, the Saint-Point and Bourget records show a general trend toward a decrease in lake levels and in flood magnitude anti-correlated with generally increasing solar irradiance.     

Irradiation records in regolith materials. I: isotopic compositions of solar-wind neon and argon in single lunar mineral grains

We have applied a stepwise pyrolytic extraction technique to eleven individual lunar regolith grains to investigate the compositions of light noble gases embedded in grain surfaces by solar wind irradiation, with emphasis on the rather poorly known isotopic composition of solar-wind argon. Results are intriguing: average ²⁰Ne/²²Ne ratios observed in early pyrolytic releases from ilmenite grains separated from lunar soils 71501, 79035 and 10084 agree very well with both direct measures of the solar wind neon composition in the Apollo foils and with values obtained in first releases from acid-etched ilmenites by the Zürich laboratory, whereas these same pyrolytic and acid-etch fractions carry argon isotopic signatures that significantly disagree—average ³⁶Ar/³⁸Ar ratios near 5.8 for thermal extraction compared to 5.4–5.5 for chemical etching at Zürich. Consideration of the isotopic and elemental data from these grains in the context of first-order diffusive modeling calculations points to gas release at low temperatures, without significant isotopic or elemental fractionation, from isolated grain-surface reservoirs of solar wind composition. The physical nature of these reservoirs is presently unknown. In this interpretation the preferred solar wind ²⁰Ne/²²Ne and ²¹Ne/²²Ne ratios deduced from this study are respectively 13.81 ± 0.08 and 0.0333 ± 0.0003, both within error of the Zürich acid-etch values, and ³⁶Ar/³⁸Ar = 5.77 ± 0.08. It may be possible to reconcile the discrepancy between the acid-etch and pyrolytic estimates for the solar wind ³⁶Ar/³⁸Ar ratio in the context of arguments originally advanced by Benkert et al. (1993) to account for their He and Ne isotopic compositions. At the other, high-temperature end of the release profile from one of these grains there are clear isotopic indications of the presence of a Ne constituent with ²⁰Ne/²²Ne close to the 11.2 ratio found at Zürich and attributed by these workers to a deeply-sited component implanted by solar energetic particles.     

Fluorine in lunar samples: implications concerning lunar fluorapatite

The F contents of a number of Apollo 14 and 15 samples range from less than a ppm for anorthosite rock fragments to ~165 ppm for some soils and breccias. Apollo 15 soils tend to have lower F contents (50–70 ppm) than soils from other sites. In most cases samples were run simultaneously with W-1 in which F was determined to be 216 (±11) ppm.The $\text{F}\text{P}{}_2\text{O}{}_5$ ratio is 0·032 ± 0·005 in soils and rocks. A correlation exists in soils between F, P₂O₅, and that fraction of the Cl which is insoluble in hot water. The $\text{F}\text{Cl}{}_{\mathrm{r}}$ ratio in soils and rocks, though different, requires that the phosphate phase involved be fluorapatite; this is consistent with mineralogical observations. F, like Cl, is correlated with KREEP elements at all sites for which data are available.     

Solar activity during the last 1000 yr inferred from radionuclide records

Identification of the causes of past climate change requires detailed knowledge of one of the most important natural factors—solar forcing. Prior to the period of direct solar observations, radionuclide abundances in natural archives provide the best-known proxies for changes in solar activity. Here we present two independent reconstructions of changes in solar activity during the last 1000 yr, which are inferred from ¹⁰Be and ¹⁴C records. We analyse the tree-ring ¹⁴C data (SHCal, IntCal04 from 1000 to 1510 AD and annual data from 1511 to 1950 AD) and four ¹⁰Be records from Greenland ice cores (Camp Century, GRIP, Milcent and Dye3) together with two ¹⁰Be records from Antarctic ice cores (Dome Concordia and South Pole). In general, the ¹⁰Be and ¹⁴C records exhibit good agreement that allows us to obtain reliable estimates of past solar magnetic modulation of the radionuclide production rates. Differences between ¹⁰Be records from Antarctica and Greenland indicate that climatic changes have influenced the deposition of ¹⁰Be during some periods of the last 1000 yr. The radionuclide-based reconstructions of past changes in solar activity do not always agree with the sunspot record, which indicates that the coupling between those proxies is not as close as has been sometimes assumed. The tree-ring ¹⁴C record and ¹⁰Be from Antarctica indicate that recent solar activity is high but not exceptional with respect to the last 1000 yr.