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Imamura, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Imamura, M..

Measurements of proton-induced production cross sections for Cl-36 from Ca and K

Production cross sections for Cl-36 (half-life= 3.01 x 10(exp 5) y) have been measured for the nat.K(p,x), 39 K(p,x), nat.Ca(p,x) and Ca-40(p,x) reactions up to 40 MeV. The results of nat.Ca(p,x) reaction are generally consistent with measurements performed at somewhat higher energies. With the completion of these measurements it is now possible to proceed with model calculations of the solar cosmic ray (SCR) flux over the last 400 ky based on measurements of lunar surface materials.

Imamura, M.

Exposure ages of carbonaceous chondrites, 1

The recent exposure histories of carbonaceous chondrites have been investigated using cosmogenic radionuclides. Our results may indicate a clustering of exposure ages of C1 and C2 chondrites into two peaks, 0.2 My and 0.6 My, perhaps implying two collisional events of Earth-crossing parent bodies. Among carbonaceous chondrites are some having short exposure ages which Mazor et al. hypothesized cluster into a small number of families. This hypothesis is based on spallogenic Ne-21 exposure ages, which in some instances are difficult to determine owing to the large amounts of trapped noble gases in carbonaceous chondrites. Also, since Ne-21 is stable, it integrates a sample's entire exposure history, so meteorites with complex exposure histories are difficult to understand using exclusively Ne-21. Cosmogenic radionuclides provide an alternative means of determining the recent cosmic ray exposure duration. To test the hypothesis of Mazor et al. we have begun a systematic investigation of exposure histories of Antarctic and non-Antarctic carbonaceous chondrites especially C2s.

Nishiizumi, K.

The extent of lunar regolith mixing

The activity of solar cosmic-ray-produced Mn-53 measured as a function of depth in the upper 100 g/sq cm of lunar cores 60009-60010 and 12025-12028 is discussed. Analyses of samples from the Apollo 15 and 16 drill stems together with authors' previously published results (1974, 1976), and the Battelle Na-22 and Al-26 data, indicate that in three of the four cases studied the regolith was measurably disturbed within the last 10 m.y. Activities measured in the uppermost 2 g/sq cm indicate frequent mixing within this depth range. The Monte Carlo gardening model of Arnold (1975) was used to derive profiles for the gardened moon-wide average of Mn-53 and Al-26 as a function of depth. The Mn-53 and Al-26 experimental results agreed with theoretical predictions, but the calculated depths of disturbance appeared too low.

Nishiizumi, K.

Mn-53 in the Apollo 15 and 16 drill stems - Evidence for surface mixing

The activity of cosmic ray produced Mn-53 has been measured in a series of samples from the upper 10 cm of the Apollo 15 and 16 drill stems. The activity profiles for both cores indicate disturbance to depths of about 3 g/sq cm within the last 6 m.y. In at least one case (Apollo 16) the soil has been gardened to at least 14 g/sq cm within the last 10 m.y., and material from the upper less than 2 g/sq cm has been buried to 14 g/sq cm by this gardening. The results for the Apollo 15 core are compatible with a wide variety of possible histories including loss or gain of material.

Nishiizumi, K.

Depth profiles of Mn-53 in lunar rocks and soils

Results of measurements of cosmic-ray-produced Mn-53 taken down the length of the Apollo 16 deep drill core are presented. They indicate that the lunar regolith has been unmixed, on a meter scale, for the past 5 million years at the location of this core. The data are in agreement with earlier Mn-53 measurements on the Apollo 15 drill core. Mn-53 activity profiles in 14310, 12002, and 14321 are compared to each other; all three rocks have probably been on the lunar surface long enough to saturate their solar cosmic-ray-produced Mn-53 (half-life = 3.7 m.y.) activity.

Imamura, M.

Depth profile of Mn-53 in the lunar surface

Measurements of cosmic-ray produced Mn-53 are reported for a series of lunar surface samples down to a depth of 416 g/sq cm. These results clearly illustrate the decrease in activity with depth as the incident galactic cosmic rays are absorbed. Below 60 g/sq cm the production rate decreases exponentially with a mean length of about 220 g/sq cm. These results indicate that, at the Apollo 15 site, the lunar regolith has been unmixed, on a meter scale, for the last 5 m.y. The neutron activation technique for Mn-53, which allowed samples smaller than 200 mg to be used for these measurements, is described.

Imamura, M.

Co-60 in lunar samples.

Results obtained for Co-60 in lunar soils and rocks of different depths are discussed. These results are compared to a production calculation based on the work of Lingenfelter et al. (1972). The measurement of Co-60 activities can give information about the present-day equilibrium neutron flux in the lunar regolith. The most important quantity which can be derived from these data is the absolute present-day lunar neutron production rate.

Wahlen, M.

Cosmogenic nuclides in football-sized rocks.

The activity of long- and short-lived isotopes in a series of samples from a vertical column through the center of rock 14321 was measured. Rock 14321 is a 9 kg fragmental rock whose orientation was photographically documented on the lunar surface. Also investigated was a sample from the lower portion of rock 14310, where, in order to study target effects, two different density fractions (mineral separates) were analyzed. A few nuclides in a sample from the comprehensive fines 14259 were measured. This material has been collected largely from the top centimeter of the lunar soil. The study of the deep samples of 14321 and 14310 provided values for the activity of isotopes at points where only effects produced by galactic cosmic rays are significant.

Wahlen, M.