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Science 21 May 1965:
Vol. 148. no. 3673, pp. 1085 - 1088
DOI: 10.1126/science.148.3673.1085
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Articles

Atmospheric Noble Gases: Solar-Wind Bombardment of Extraterrestrial Dust as a Possible Source Mechanism

David Tilles 1

1 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts

A source mechanism for the noble gases in the earth's atmosphere may be the solar-wind bombardment of extraterrestrial dust. Calculations based on estimates of recent influx of dust to the earth, quiet solar-wind intensity, argon abundance in the solar wind, and assumed Poynting-Robertson lifetimes of small particles in space agree within a factor of 5 with the present amounts of argon-36 and argon-38 in the atmosphere.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Trace Elements and Radioactivity in Lunar Rocks: Implications for Meteorite Infall, Solar-Wind Flux, and Formation Conditions of Moon.
R. R. Keays, R. R. Keays, R. Ganapathy, J. C. Laul, E. Anders, G. F. Herzog, and P. M. Jeffery (1970)
Science 167, 490-493
   Abstract »    PDF »
Influx Measurements of Extraterrestrial Material: Sea sediments, polar ice, air, and space are searched for amount and character of interplanetary debris.
D. W. Parkin, D. W. Parkin, and D. Tilles (1968)
Science 159, 936-946
   PDF »
Implantation in Interplanetary Dust of Rare-Gas Ions from Solar Flares.
D. Tilles and D. Tilles (1966)
Science 153, 981-984
   Abstract »    PDF »
Atmospheric Noble Gases from Extraterrestrial Dust.
D. Tilles (1966)
Science 151, 1015
   PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)