Galactic cosmic ray-produced 129Xe and 131Xe excesses in troilites of the Cape York iron meteorite

Abstract

The flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) in the solar system appears to change with time. Based on the abundances in iron meteorites of cosmogenic nuclides of different half lives, Lavielle et al. (1999) found that the GCR flux increased in recent times (<100 Ma) by about 38% compared to average flux in the past 150 Ma to 700 Ma ago. A promising technique for calibrating the GCR flux during the past ~50 Ma, based on the 129I and 129Xe pair of nuclides, was discussed earlier (Marti 1986; Murty and Marti 1987). The 129I-129Xen chronometer provides a shielding-independent system as long as the exposure geometry remained fixed. It is especially suitable for large iron meteorites (Te-rich troilite) because of the effects by the GCR secondary neutron component. Although GCR-produced Xe components were identified in troilites, several issues require clarifications and improvements; some are reported here. We developed a procedure for achieving small Xe extraction blanks which are required to measure indigenous Xe in troilites. The 129Xe and 131Xe excesses (129Xen, 131Xen) due to neutron reactions in Te are correlated in a stepwise release run during the troilite decomposition. Our data show that indigenous Xe in troilite of Cape York has isotopic abundances consistent with ordinary chondritic Xe (OC-Xe), in contrast to a terrestrial signature which was reported earlier. Two methods are discussed which assess and correct for an interfering radiogenic 129Xer component from extinct 129I. The corrected 129Xen concentration in troilite D4 of Cape York yields a cosmic ray exposure (CRE) age of 82 ±  7 Ma consistent, within uncertainties, with reported data (Murty and Marti 1987; Marti et al. 2004).