Krypton-81 Dating in Polar Ice Samples

Information

• NSF Award
• 8961238

Owner

• ATOM SCIENCES, INC.

• Award Id

  8961238

• Award Effective Date

  1/1/1990 - 34 years ago

• Award Expiration Date

  9/30/1990 - 34 years ago

• Award Amount

  $ 49,931.00

• Award Instrument

  Standard Grant

A new method for dating polar ice or other environmental Samples which are 50,000 years to 1,000,000 years old is proposed, based on the direct measurements of cosmogenic 81Kr (half-life = 210,000 yrs.). The method consists of isotopic enrichment of the krypton extracted from the ice followed by ultrasensitive detection of the 81Kr using the laser-based technique of Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy. Feasibility of the 81Kr technique will be demonstrated by measuring 81Kr in two old ice samples and two modern ice samples collected from the Allan Hills area of Antarctica. The results will provide the basis for development of a commercial 81Kr-dating facility which will have important applications, in addition to polar ice dating, in groundwater dating, hydrology, solar neutrino studies, and meteorite studies.

• Program Officer

  Darryl G. Gorman

• Min Amd Letter Date

  1/17/1990 - 34 years ago

• Max Amd Letter Date

  1/17/1990 - 34 years ago

• ARRA Amount

• Name

  ATOM SCIENCES INC

• City

  OAK RIDGE

• State

  TN

• Country

  United States

• Address

  114 RIDGEWAY CTR

• Postal Code

  378306926

• Phone Number

  8654831113

• First Name

  Robert

• Last Name

  Willis

• Start Date

  1/1/1990 12:00:00 AM

• Name

  Other Sciences NEC

• Code

  99