From the discovery of radioactivity to the development of the K-Ar dating method

• Autorzy: Hałas S.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

In this paper I try to explain why the potassium-argon dating method was developed much later than other radiometric methods (like U-He and U-Pb), which were established at the beginning of the 20th century. In fact the pioneering paper by Aldrich and Nier (1948) was published 50 years after the discovery of polonium and radium, when nearly all the details concerning potassium isotopes and radioactivity of potassium-40 had been investigated. The role of Marie Curie’s concept of the na-ture of radioactivity in the discovery of the radioactivity of potassium is emphasized.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

argon; isotopes; radioactivity; potassium; dating; mass spectrometer

• Wydawca: Politechnika Śląska
• Czasopismo: Geochronometria
• Rocznik: 2012
• Tom: Vol. 39, no. 3
• Strony: 158--166
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 52 poz., rys., wykr.

Twórcy

autor

Hałas S.

• Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, pl. M. Curie Skłodowskiej 1, 20-031 Lublin, Poland,

Bibliografia

• Aldrich LT and Nier AO, 1948. Argon 40 in potassium minerals. Physi-cal Reviews 74(8): 876-877, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.74.876.
• Aldrich LT, Doak JB and Davis GL, 1953. The use of ion exchange columns in mineral analysis for age determination. American Journal of Science 251(5): 377-387, DOI 10.2475/ajs.251.5.377.
• Aston FW, 1921. The mass spectra of the alkali metals. Philosophical Magazine Ser. 6 42(249): 436-441, DOI 10.1080/14786442108633780.
• Aston FW, 1933, 1941. Mass Spectra and Isotopes, 1st and 2nd Editions, Longmans, London.
• Baxter GP and MacNevin WM, 1933. A revision of the atomic weight of potassium, Journal of American Chemical Society 55(8): 3185-3190, DOI 10.1021/ja01335a020.
• Beckinsale RD and Gale NH, 1969. A reappraisal of the decay constants and branching ratio of 40K. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 6: 289-294.
• Bleuler E and Gabrier M, 1947. Zerfall des K40. Helvetica Physica Acta 20: 67.
• Boltwood BB, 1907. On ultimate disintegration products of the radio-active elements. American Journal of Science 20(118): 253-267, DOI 10.2475/ajs.s4-20.118.253.
• Biltz M and Ziegert UH, 1928. Die Radioaktivität der Isotope des Kaliums (Radioactivity of the isotopes of potassium). Physikali-sche Zeitschrift 29: 197-200 (in German).
• Bramley A, 1937. The potassium-argon transformation. Science: 86: 424-425, DOI 10.1126/science.86.2236.424.
• Brewer AK, 1935. Further evidence for the existence of K40. Physical Reviews 48(7): 640-640, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.48.640.
• Cox A and Dalrymple GB, 1967. Statistical analysis of geomagnetic reversal data and the precision of potassium-argon dating. Journal of Geophysical Research 72(10): 2603-2614, DOI 10.1029/JZ072i010p02603.
• Curie P and Curie Mme P, 1898. Sur une substance nouvelle radioactive, contenue dans la pechblende. Comptes rendus 127: 175-178.
• Curie P, Curie Mme P and Bémont G, 1898. Sur une nouvelle substance fortement radioactive, contenue dans la pechblende. Comptes rendus 127: 1215-1217.
• Curie P, 1905. Nobel lecture “On radioactive substances”. In: Nobel Lectures in Physics 1901-1921. Elsevier, Amsterdam 1967.
• Dželepow E, Kopjova M and Vorobjov E, 1946. Beta-ray spectrum of K-40. Physical Review 69(9-10): 538-539, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.69.538.2.
• Fajans K, 1913. Radioactive transformations and the periodic system of the elements. In: Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft 46: 422-439.
• Faure G and Mensing TM, 2005. Isotopes – Principles and Applications (3rd edition). New Jersey, Wiley: 928 pp.
• Fermi E, 1934. An attempt of a theory of beta radiation. 1. (in German) Zeitschrift für Physik 88: 161-171; A complete English translation is given by: Wilson FL, 1968. Fermi’s theory of beta decay, Amer-ican Journal of Physics 36: 1150-1160.
• Fermi E, Amaldi E, Pontecorvo B, Rasetti F and Segre E, 1934. La Ricerca Scientifica 2, No. 7-8, No. 9-10.
• Gleditsch E and Gráf T, 1947. On the gamma-rays of K40. Physical Reviews 72(7): 640-641, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.72.640.
• Halas S, 1998. From Discovery of polonium and radium to explanation of branched decay of potassium-40. Postępy Fizyki 49: 268-273 (in Polish).
• Halas S, 1995. Isotope geochronology based on radioactive decay of potassium. Przegląd Geologiczny 43: 993-998 (in Polish).
• Halas S, 2001. Chemical analysis of elements by isotope dilution on the example of potassium determination in minerals dated by K-Ar metod. Elektronika 42: 53-55 (in Polish).
• Halas S and Hess J, 1990. Physical foundations of Datong by the K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar methods. In: Jędrysek MO, ed., Course-book of Iso-tope Geology. Wrocław University and Committee on Mineralogi-cal Sciences: 184-200.
• von Hevesy G, 1935. Die Radioaktivität des Kaliums. Naturwissen-schaften: 23(34): 583-585, DOI 10.1007/BF01492377.
• von Hirzel O and Wäffler H, 1946. Über die beim Zerfall des K40 emit-tierte ?-Strahlung. Helvetica Physica Acta 19: 216-217.
• Houtermans FG, 1966. History of the K-Ar method of geochronology, In:Schaeffer OA and Zähringer J (Editors), Potassium Argon Da-ting, Springer-Verlag, Berlin : 234 pp.
• Merrihue C and Turner G, 1966. Potassum-argon dating by activation with fast neutrons. Journal of Geophysical Research 71: 2852-2857, DOI . 10.1029/JZ071i011p02852
• McDougall I and Harrison TM, 1988. Geochronology and Thermochro-nology by the 40Ar/39Ar Method. Oxford University Press, New York: 212 pp.
• Meyer HA, Schwachheim G and de Souza Santos MD, 1947. Decay of K40. Physical Review: 71(12): 908-908, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.71.908.
• Newman FH and Walke HJ, 1935. The radioactivity of potassium and rubidium. Philosophical Magazine Series 7 19(128): 767-773, DOI 10.1080/14786443508561414.
• Nier AO, 1935. Evidence for the existence of an isotope of potassium of mass 40. Physical Reviews 48(3): 283-284, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.48.283.
• Reynolds JH, 1956. High sensitivity mass spectrometer for noble gas analysis. The Review of Scientific Instruments 27(11): 928-934, DOI 10.1063/1.1715415.
• Roberts TR and Nier AO, 1950. The 40K – 40Ar mass difference and the radioactivity of 40K. Physical Review 79: 198.
• Rutherford E, 1906. Radioactive Transformations. Scribner’s Sons, New York: 287pp.
• Rutherford E and Soddy F, 1902a. The Cause and Nature of Radioactiv-ity – Part II. Philosophical Magazine 6 4(21): 370-396, DOI 10.1080/14786440209462856.
• Rutherford E and Soddy F, 1902b. The Cause and Nature of Radioactiv-ity I, II. Philosophical Magazine 6 4(23): 569-585, DOI 10.1080/14786440209462881.
• Sklodowska-Curie M, 1898. Rayons émis par les composés de l’uranium et du thorium (english translation Emission of rays by uranium and thorium compounds). Comptes Rendus 126 (Jan-June): 1101-1103.
• Sailor VL, 1949. Energy levels in 41Ca and the mass difference between 40Ar and 40Ca. Physical Review 75(12): 1836-1839, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.75.1836.
• Smythe WR and Hemmendinger A, 1937. The radioactive isotope of potassium. Physical Reviews 51: 178-182, DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.51.178.
• Soddy F, 1911. The Chemistry of Mesothorium, Journal of Chemical Society 99: 72-83, DOI 10.1039/CT9119900072.
• Soddy F, 1913. The Radio Elements and the Periodic Law. Chemical News 107: 97-99.
• Staudacher Th, Jessberger EK, Dorflinger D and Kiko J, 1978. A re-fined ultra-high vacuum furnace for rare gas analysis. Journal of Physics E: Scientific Instruments 11(8): 781-784, DOI 10.1088/0022-3735/11/8/019.
• Steiger RH and Jäger E, 1977. Subcommission on geochronology: Convention on the use of decay constants in geo- and cosmochro-nology. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 36(3): 359-362, DOI 10.1016/0012-821X(77)90060-7.
• Thomson JJ, 1905. On emission of negative corpuscles by alkali metals. Philosophical Magazine Series 6 10(59): 584-390, DOI 10.1080/14786440509463405.
• Thompson FC and Rowlands S, 1943. Dual decay of potassium. Nature 152(3847): 103-103, DOI 10.1038/152103a0.
• von Weizsäcker CF, 1937. Über die Möglichkeit eines dualen ß- Zerfalls von Kalium. Physikalische Zeitschrift 38: 623-624.
• Wasserburg GJ and Heyden RJ, 1955. 40Ar-40K dating. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 7: 51-60.
• Webster RK, 1959. Analysis by the method of isotope dilution. In: Waldron JD, ed., Advances in Mass Spectrometry. Pergamon Press, London 1959 (Russian translation, Moskwa 1963): 732 pp.
• Wróblewski AK, 1997. Materiały XXXIV Zjazdu Fizyków Polskich (Proceedings of 34-th Meeting of the Polish Physical Society). Deni-Press, Katowice: 77 pp (in Polish).
• Zinkiewicz JM, 1980. Method of isotope dilution. In: Żuk W, ed., Spektrometria mas i elektromagnetyczna separacja izotopów. Polish Scientific Publishers (PWN), Warszawa: 490 pp (in Polish).