The Neutron Pile as a Tool in Quantitative Analysis; The Gallium and Palladium Contents of Iron Meteorites
Abstract
In recent years the science of meteoritics has come to be looked upon as a science of increasing importance, in large measure due to recognized bearing of meteorite information upon problems of astrophysical interest. In particular, it now appears likely that an intensive study of the distribution of elements in meteorites will enable one to draw important conclusions concerning the structure of planets, the origin of our solar system, and the relative 'cosmic' abundances of the chemical elements . Unfortunately, with the exception of a very few common elements such as oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, nickel, and calcium, the large majority of the elements are present in meteorites to an extent of only a few parts per million. As it is frequently desirable to assay the concentration of many of the rarer constituents of meteorites with an accuracy of 10 per cent or better, grave analytical problems are presented. V. M. Goldschmidt, Hevesy, and the Noddacks, who did much of the excellent earlier work on assaying the rarer constituents of meteorites, used at one time or another straightforward quantitative chemical methods, x-ray spectroscopy, and chemical spectroscopy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 10, 1948
- Accession Number
- ADB204993
Entities
People
- Edward Goldberg
- Harrison Brown
Organizations
- Argonne National Laboratory