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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2024

Xenon Isotopic Analysis of Individual Intermediate Particles From the OSIRIS-REx Sample of Asteroid Bennu

The OSIRIS-REx mission sampled material from the B-type asteroid Bennu and delivered the sample to Earth on 24 September 2023. Here we present initial xenon isotopic analysis of individual intermediate particles of Bennu material collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission. Noble gases are key tracers of Solar System evolution. Xenon is particularly useful among the noble gases because its nine isotopes allow multiple contributing sources to be unambiguously identified. The sun, asteroids (as measured in meteorites), and comets (measured in the coma of comet 67P) have distinct xenon isotopic signatures reflecting different mixtures of nucleosynthetic components. In addition, 129 I, 238 U, and 244 Pu decay with different half-lives, producing characteristic xenon signatures. Exposure of samples containing light rare earth elements and barium to cosmic rays produces xenon from spallation and secondary neutron capture reaction. Noble gas analyses help address several of the driving hypotheses of the mission [9]. Particle-by-particle analysis can elucidate the diversity of material present and reveal distinct noble gas compositions, including the potential to detect presolar or cometary noble gas signatures on a small scale. The isotopic signature provides a fingerprint that can be used to constrain the sources of volatiles in planetary reservoirs and combined with other information (e.g. mineralogy and petrology of the material analyses) contributes to our understanding of the initial constituents, formation, and history of Bennu and its parent asteroid.

S A Crowther↗
NASA NTRS1986

Production rates of neon xenon isotopes by energetic neutrons

As a first step in an experimental program to study the behavior of noble gases produced in situ in minerals, a suite of minerals and pure chemicals were irradiated with 14.5 MeV neutrons at LLNL's Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS-II) and production rates for noble gases were determined. While neutron effects in meteorites and lunar samples are dominated by low-energy neutron capture, more energetic cosmic-ray secondary neutrons can provide significant depth-dependent contributions to production of cosmogenic nuclides through endothermic reactions such as (n,2n), (n,np), (n,d) and (n,alpha). Production rates for nuclides produced by cosmic-ray secondary neutrons are therefore useful in interpreting shielding histories from the relative abundances of cosmogenic nuclides. Absolute production cross sections were calculated from isotope dilution analyses of NaCl, Mg, CsCl, and Ba(NO3)2 samples, assuming purity, stoichiometry, and quantitative noble gas retention and extraction. Relative production cross sections determined from neon isotopic ratios in the mineral samples were also considered in evaluating the neon production cross sections. Results are presented.

Leich, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Solar-type xenon - Isotopic abundances in Pesyanoe

Elemental and isotopic abundances of Ar and Xe were measured in three grain-size separates in the dark phase of the enstatite achondrite Pesyanoe by stepwise heating, using a combination of pyrolysis and combustion steps. The data reveal a low-temperature gas fraction with Ar/Xe ratios close to the solar ratio and isotopically similar to solar-type Ar and Xe observed in lunar samples. The gas released at intermediate temperature steps shows that Ar and Xe are isotopically fractionated, compared to the low-temperature components. Pesyanoe does not have excess Ar-40 and fission Xe, which means its parent body was too small for ion reimplantation. It is concluded that solar-type Xe isotopic abundances can be inferred from the low-temperature component. A comparison of Pesyanoe and lunar data shows that isotopic signatures of solar-wind Xe, as sampled at two different points in solar system space and time, are identical within experimental error.

Kim, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Mass Spectrometric Measurement of Martian Krypton and Xenon Isotopic Abundance

The Viking gas chromatograph mass spectrometer experiment provided significant data on the atmospheric composition at the surface of Mars, including measurements of several isotope ratios. However, the limited dynamic range of this mass spectrometer resulted in marginal measurements for the important Kr and Xe isotopic abundance. The Xe-129 to Xe-132 ratio was measured with an uncertainty of 70%, but none of the other isotope ratios for these species were obtained. Accurate measurement of the Xe and Kr isotopic abundance in this atmosphere provides an important data point in testing theories of planetary formation and atmospheric evolution. The measurement is also essential for a stringent test for the Martian origin of the SNC meteorites, since the Kr and Xe fractionation pattern seen in gas trapped in glassy nodules of an SNC (EETA 79001) is unlike any other known solar system resevoir. Current flight mass spectrometer designs combined with the new technology of a high-performance vacuum pumping system show promise for a substantial increase in gas throughput and the dynamic range required to accurately measure these trace species. Various aspects of this new technology are discussed.

Mahaffy, P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Nitrogen and xenon isotopic disequilibrium in Bachmut (L6) chondrule J2689 and matrix

Chondrule J2689, a large (8-mm) RP chondrule from Bachmut (L6) was previously found to be in disequilibrium with its host in a variety of features: (1) It has a fine-grained hornfelsic texture; (2) it contains low amounts of metal with a low-Ni taenite composition not found in the matrix; (3) the Ni/Co ratio of that metal is close to the solar ratio, which is equal to the bulk Ni/Co ratio (23) of the chondrule; (4) the bulk alkali content of the chondrule is high and the Na/K ratio is fractionated with respect to the average L chondrite ratio of 8; (5) Cr is depleted in spite of the high pyroxene content; (6) the siderophile elements are strongly depleted but are fractionated with their abundances increasing with volatility; and (7) the O isotopes of the chondrule and the host are out of equilibrium. However, the (Fe,Mg) silicates, feldspar, and chromite have chemical compositions indistinguishable from that of the host chondrite. We have studied a chip of the chondrite and of adjacent matrix by stepwise heating and by combustion in O for N and Xe isotopic abundances. (1) The chondrule preserved distinct bulk, metal, and O isotopic compositional features. It is therefore unlikely that the 'equilibration' of the major silicates Fe/Mg ratios could have taken place after accretion; (2) the chondrule was well equilibrated before break-up and exposure to cosmic rays; (3) two N signatures in the matrix also indicate that the matrix is not equilibrated; and (4) all data collected so far point toward the presence of unequilibrated Bachmut components. Very few reactions took place after accretion.

Kim, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A target for production of radioxenons

A liquid cesium target has been developed which allows the production and separate identification of the neutron deficient isotopes of xenon. The present report describes irradiations utilizing 34 to 41 MeV protons to produce millicurie quantities of Xe-127 and Xe-129m. At higher energies, however, the target could be used without modification to produce xenon isotopes as light as 119.

Blue, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Xenon in carbonaceous chondrites.

A table showing the relative amounts of xenon isotopes in carbonaceous chondrites is presented. It is found that the enrichment of heavy xenon isotopes released from carbonaceous chondrites in the approximate temperature range from 600 to 1000 C is accompanied by an enrichment of the light xenon isotopes. The high degree of correlation between these two isotopic anomalies suggests that both result from a common source. There is no known nuclear or physical process which could produce both anomalies in situ. It is, therefore, suggested that the anomalies are the result of the release of isotopically anomalous xenon which was trapped in the meteorites.

Manuel, O. K.↗
NASA NTRS1978

s-process studies - Xenon and krypton isotopic abundances

We propose an analysis of the s-process contributions to the isotopes of xenon and krypton. The object is to aid studies of the possibility that meteorites may contain gas that was carried in presolar grains that were grown in stellar ejecta and that were not degassed prior to incorporation into parent bodies. That model suggests routine interstellar fractionation of s-isotopes from r-isotopes owing to differential incorporation into dust. We show that a deficiency of s-process nuclei cannot yield details of Xe-X, but the gross similarities are strong enough to lead one to think that such a deficiency may play a role in a more complicated explanation. We predict the existence of an s-rich complement somewhere if fractional separation of this type has played a role in Xe-X. We show that the analogous decomposition of krypton is more uncertain, and we call for measurements of neutron-capture cross sections to alleviate these uncertainties.

Clayton, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Search for Cm-248 in the early solar system

Possible evidence for the presence of Cm-248 in the early solar system was reported from fission gas studies (Rao and Gopalan, 1973) and recently from studies of very high nuclear track densities (not less than 5 x 10 exp 8/sq cm) in the merrillite of the H4 chondrite Forest Vale (F.V.) (Pellas et al., 1987). We report here an analysis of the isotopic abundances of xenon in F.V. phosphates and results of track studies in phosphate/pyroxene contacts. The fission xenon isotopic signature clearly identifies Pu-244 as the extinct progenitor. We calculate an upper limit Cm-248/Pu-244 to be less than 0.0015 at the beginning of Xe retention in F.V. phosphates. This corresponds to an upper limit of the ratio Cm-248/U-235 of not greater than 5 x 10 exp -5 further constraining the evidence for any late addition of freshly synthesized actinide elements just prior to solar system formation. The fission track density observed after annealing the phosphates at 290C (1 hr, which essentially erases spallation recoil tracks) is also in agreement with the Pu-244 abundance inferred from fission Xe. The spallation recoil tracks produced during the 76 Ma cosmic-ray exposure account for the very high track density in merrillites.

Lavielle, B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Isotopically anomalous xenon in meteorites - A new clue to its origin

The CCF xenon component in primitive meteorites, which has been attributed either to fission of a superheavy element or to nucleosynthesis in a supernova, does not show the large enrichment in Xe-129 (from decay of 16 Myr I-129) expected for supernova ejecta. Although this problem can be circumvented by ad hoc assumptions, a fission origin of CCFXe seems more likely.

Lewis, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Spectrum of carbonaceous-chondrite fission xenon

Estimations of the fission spectrum in xenon isotopes from the progenitor of the strange carbonaceous-chondrite xenon must take account of p-process nucleosynthesis if the latter is the source of anomalous Xe-124, 126. Sample calculations of the p-process yields illustrate the magnitude of the effect, which can greatly increase the estimated Xe-132 fission yield.

Clayton, D. D.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Comets and carbonaceous chondrites delivered noble gases to the Moon

Trapped xenon isotopes in two Apollo 17 mare basalt fragments are similar to those in primitive meteorites. Xenon would have been effectively excluded from the Moon in the aftermath of its formation in a giant impact. As such, lunar mantle xenon trapped in the mare basalts is best explained as being derived from late accretion occurring before or concurrent with the formation of the lunar crust. Here, the isotopic composition indicates that a combination of comets and carbonaceous chondrites delivered this xenon to the lunar mantle. The inferred mass of accreted cometary ice would have delivered significantly less than a part per million of water to the lunar mantle. The inferred mass of accreted carbonaceous chondrites would have supplied at least a half of a part per million of water. The data further indicate that enstatite chondrites are unlikely to have supplied the majority of late accreted mass.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measurements of radioxenon activities during periods of gaseous release from an advanced gas-cooled reactor

Activities of radioxenon isotopes are reported from an Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) during periods of gaseous release. Xenon isotopes are relevant to the monitoring regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). These releases may affect detections from the International Monitoring System (IMS) by influencing the radioxenon background. Time series activity plots have been produced from both in-core monitoring and direct measurement at the point of release using a stack monitor system. Ratio plots using both data sets have been produced with results compared with a commonly chosen nuclear explosion “discrimination line.” The reported results improve the understanding of radionuclide emissions from civil nuclear power plants. This work is being performed as part of the Xenon Environmental Nuclide Analysis at Hartlepool (XENAH) collaboration between the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE, UK), EDF Energy (UK), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL, USA), and the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1975

Alternative hypothesis for the origin of CCF xenon

The relative abundances and origins of the xenon isotopes found in carbonaceous meteorites are discussed. It is proposed that carbonaceous-chondrite-fission (CCF) xenon is not caused by fission, but is the direct result of a modified r-process nucleosynthesis which produces a peak at Z = 54 and N = 82. The xenon produced in this way would have been trapped in dust grains which were subsequently incorporated in the solar system with minimal degassing.

Black, D. C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Studies of the Gas Sampling for the VATMOS-SR Mission Concept

VATMOS-SR (Venus ATMOSpheric - Sample Return) is a small spacecraft mission concept which would return a gas sample from the upper atmosphere of Venus to Earth for scientific analysis. This could be the first sample return mission for an extra-terrestrial atmosphere, and potentially the first sample return from an Earth-sized planet. The VATMOS-SR mission concept consists of a SmallSat atmospheric sampling probe (45 deg. sphere/cone geometry, <1 m diameter) that is designed to skim through the Venus upper atmosphere and acquire gas samples below the homopause altitude (around ~110 km altitude), where the different atmospheric gases are mixed. The velocity of the spacecraft where sampling would occur is expected to be between ~10.5 km/s and ~13.1 km/s, depending on the trajectory chosen. This presentation will discuss hypervelocity sampling in the upper atmosphere of Venus, with respect to the VATMOS-SR mission concept. VATMOS-SR would enable critical atmospheric measurements to form a full picture of how, why, and when Venus evolved to be so different from Earth and Mars. The abundances and isotopic compositions of volatile elements (such as N, C, S, O and the noble gases) in planetary atmospheres record volatile delivery during accretion, outgassing from planetary interiors, and atmospheric loss to space. Precise and accurate determinations of atmospheric volatile signatures are the key to understanding the origins and geodynamical evolution of Venus compared to the other terrestrial planets. Hypersonic sampling poses unique technical and scientific challenges. To ensure it is possible to relate the composition of the sampled gases to the free stream atmospheric composition, large-scale numerical simulations are employed to model the flow through the VATMOS-SR sampling system. In particular, an emphasis is placed on quantifying noble gas isotopic fractionation that occurs during the sample acquisition and transfer process in order to determine how measured isotopic ratios of noble gases in the sample compare to actual isotopic ratios in the Venusian atmosphere. The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code SPARTA, an open source software package developed by Sandia National Laboratories, is used in this work. SPARTA, based on Bird’s DSMC method, is a molecular-level gas-kinetic technique. As SPARTA is able to model hypervelocity reacting flows in strong chemical and thermal non-equilibrium, this software package is well suited to determine relevant flow properties for the VATMOS-SR mission concept, and to numerically quantify the expected level of elemental and/or isotopic fractionation in the sample acquired by VATMOS-SR. This presentation will show results from 3D simulations correlating the noble gas isotopic fractionation in the gas acquired at hypervelocity speeds to its ambient atmosphere value. In particular, emphasis will be placed at Xenon isotopes of masses 128 and 130, as precise measurements of that ratio would yield a comparison to Earth’s atmosphere. Additionally, sensitivity studies that quantify the uncertainties due to the freestream parameters as well as the modeling parameters will be performed.

direct simulation Monte Carlo↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The VATMOS-SR Mission Concept: DSMC Studies of the Gas Sampling

VATMOS-SR (Venus ATMOSpheric - Sample Return) is a small spacecraft mission concept that would return a gas sample from the upper atmosphere of Venus to Earth for scientific analysis. This could be the first sample return mission for an extra-terrestrial atmosphere and potentially the first sample return from an Earth-sized planet. The VATMOS-SR mission concept consists of a SmallSat atmospheric sampling probe (45 deg. sphere/cone geometry, <1 m diameter) that is designed to skim through the Venus upper atmosphere and acquire gas samples below the homopause altitude (around ~110 km altitude), where the different atmospheric gases are mixed. The velocity of the spacecraft where sampling would occur is expected to be between ~10.5 km/s and ~13.1 km/s, depending on the trajectory chosen. This presentation will discuss hypervelocity sampling in the upper atmosphere of Venus with respect to the VATMOS-SR mission concept. VATMOS-SR would enable critical atmospheric measurements to form a complete picture of how, why, and when Venus evolved to be so different from Earth and Mars. The abundances and isotopic compositions of volatile elements (such as N, C, S, O, and the noble gases) in planetary atmospheres record volatile delivery during accretion, outgassing from planetary interiors, and atmospheric loss to space. Precise and accurate determinations of volatile atmospheric signatures are the key to understanding the origins and geodynamical evolution of Venus compared to the other terrestrial planets. Hypersonic sampling poses unique technical and scientific challenges. To ensure it is possible to relate the composition of the sampled gases to the free stream atmospheric composition, large-scale numerical simulations are employed to model the flow through the VATMOS-SR sampling system. In particular, an emphasis is placed on quantifying noble gas isotopic fractionation that occurs during the sample acquisition and transfer process to determine how measured isotopic ratios of noble gases in the sample compared to actual isotopic ratios in the Venusian atmosphere. The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code SPARTA, an open-source software package developed by Sandia National Laboratories, is used in this work. SPARTA, based on Bird’s DSMC method, is a molecular-level gas-kinetic technique. As SPARTA is able to model hypervelocity reacting flows in strong chemical and thermal non-equilibrium, this software package is well suited to determine relevant flow properties for the VATMOS-SR mission concept and to numerically quantify the expected level of elemental and/or isotopic fractionation in the sample acquired by VATMOS-SR. This presentation will show results from 3D simulations correlating the noble gas isotopic fractionation in the gas acquired at hypervelocity speeds to its ambient atmosphere value. In particular, emphasis will be placed on Xenon isotopes of masses 128 and 130, as precise measurements of that ratio would yield comparison to Earth’s atmosphere. Additionally, sensitivity studies that quantify the uncertainties due to the freestream parameters, as well as the modeling parameters, will be performed.

direct simulation Monte Carlo↗