Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 19 June 1987:
Vol. 236. no. 4808, pp. 1556 - 1559
DOI: 10.1126/science.236.4808.1556
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Alpha-Decay—Induced Fracturing in Zircon: The Transition from the Crystalline to the Metamict State

BRYAN C. CHAKOUMAKOS 1, TAKASHI MURAKAMI 1, GREGORY R. LUMPKIN 1, and RODNEY C. EWING 1

1 Department of Geology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131.

A natural single crystal of zircon, ZrSiO4, from Sri Lanka exhibited zonation due to alpha-decay damage. The zones vary in thickness on a scale from one to hundreds of micrometers. The uranium and thorium concentrations vary from zone to zone such that the alpha-decay dose is between 0.2 x 1016 and 0.8 x 1016 alpha-events per milligram (0.15 to 0.60 displacement per atom). The transition from the crystalline to the aperiodic metamict state occurs over this dose range. Differential expansion of individual layers due to variations in their alpha-decay dose caused a systematic pattern of fractures that do not propagate across aperiodic layers. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed a systematic change in the microstructure from a periodic atomic array to an aperiodic array with increasing alpha-decay dose. At doses greater than 0.8 x 1016 alpha-events per milligram there is no evidence for long-range order. This type of damage will accumulate in actinide-bearing, ceramic nuclear waste forms. The systematic pattern of fractures would occur in crystalline phases that are zoned with respect to actinide radionuclides.

Submitted on March 24, 1987
Accepted on May 7, 1987


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Pb+ irradiation of synthetic zircon (ZrSiO4): Infrared spectroscopic investigation--Discussion.
L. Nasdala (2009)
American Mineralogist 94, 853-855
   Full Text »    PDF »
Zircon dissolution in a ductile shear zone, Monte Rosa granite gneiss, northern Italy.
T. J. Dempster, J. C. Martin, and Z. K. Shipton (2008)
Mineralogical Magazine 72, 971-986
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dissolution of radiation-damaged zircon in lateritic soils.
S. Delattre, S. Utsunomiya, R. C. Ewing, J.-L. Boeglin, J.-J. Braun, E. Balan, and G. Calas (2007)
American Mineralogist 92, 1978-1989
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ceramic Waste Forms for Actinides.
G. R. Lumpkin (2006)
Elements 2, 365-372
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Effects of natural radiation damage on back-scattered electron images of single crystals of minerals.
L. Nasdala, A. Kronz, J. M. Hanchar, M. Tichomirowa, D. W. Davis, and W. Hofmeister (2006)
American Mineralogist 91, 1739-1746
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Electron-microprobe dating as a tool for determining the closure of Th-U-Pb systems in migmatitic monazites.
A. Cocherie, E. B. Mezeme, O. Legendre, C. M. Fanning, M. Faure, and P. Rossi (2005)
American Mineralogist 90, 607-618
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A zero-damage model for fission-track annealing in zircon.
M. K. Rahn, M. K. Rahn, M. T. Brandon, G. E. Batt, and J. I. Garver (2004)
American Mineralogist 89, 473-484
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Incomplete retention of radiation damage in zircon from Sri Lanka.
L. Nasdala, L. Nasdala, P. W. Reiners, J. I. Garver, A. K. Kennedy, R. A. Stern, E. Balan, and R. Wirth (2004)
American Mineralogist 89, 219-231
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nuclear waste forms.
S. V. Stefanovsky, S. V. Yudintsev, R. Giere, and G. R. Lumpkin (2004)
Geological Society, London, Special Publications 236, 37-63
   Abstract »    PDF »
Low-temperature hydrothermal alteration of natural metamict zircons from the Eastern Desert, Egypt.
T. Geisler, T. Geisler, A. A. Rashwan, M. K. W. Rahn, U. Poller, H. Zwingmann, R. T. Pidgeon, H. Schleicher, and F. Tomaschek (2003)
Mineralogical Magazine 67, 485-508
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Radiation damage in zircon.
C. S. Palenik, C. S. Palenik, L. Nasdala, and R. C. Ewing (2003)
American Mineralogist 88, 770-781
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Historical Development of Zircon Geochronology.
D. Davis, D. W. Davis, T. E. Krogh, and I. S. Williams (2003)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 53, 145-181
   Full Text »    PDF »
Radiation Effects in Zircon.
R. C. Ewing, R. C. Ewing, A. Meldrum, L. Wang, W. J. Weber, and L. R. Corrales (2003)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 53, 387-425
   Full Text »    PDF »
Atlas of Zircon Textures.
F. Corfu, F. Corfu, J. M. Hanchar, P. W.O. Hoskin, and P. Kinny (2003)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 53, 469-500
   Full Text »    PDF »
The Incorporation of Hydroxyl Groups and Molecular Water in Natural Zircon (ZrSiO4).
L. Nasdala, A. Beran, E. Libowitzky, and D. Wolf (2001)
Am J Sci 301, 831-857
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Metamictization and chemical durability of detrital zircon.
E. Balan, D. R. Neuville, P. Trocellier, E. Fritsch, J.-P. Muller, and G. Calas (2001)
American Mineralogist 86, 1025-1033
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
THE DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF NUCLEAR-WASTE FORMS: CLUES FROM MINERALOGY.
R. C. Ewing (2001)
Can Mineral 39, 697-715
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The nature of radiohaloes in biotite: Experimental studies and modeling.
L. Nasdala, M. Wenzel, M. Andrut, R. Wirth, and P. Blaum (2001)
American Mineralogist 86, 498-512
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Low P-T Caledonian resetting of U-rich Paleoproterozoic zircons, central Sweden.
K. Hogdahl, L. P. Gromet, and C. Broman (2001)
American Mineralogist 86, 534-546
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nuclear waste forms for actinides.
R. C. Ewing (1999)
PNAS 96, 3432-3439
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

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