Applicability of La-Ce systematics to planetary samples

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
By: , and 

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Abstract

Ce isotopic compositions in several terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials were determined in order to investigate the applicability of using Ce as an isotopic tracer to geological processes. Owing to the low abundances of 138La and 138Ce in nature, our measurements of 138Ce/ 140Ce ratios of natural samples have relatively large (>0.02%) errors, and the variations in Ce-isotope ratios were barely resolved. A tenuous anticorrelation was observed between εCe and εNd for terrestrial basalts and granites, indicating that with some improvement in analytical techniques the Ce isotopic composition may prove useful as a tracer for geological processes. A very low εCe predicted from the Ce anomaly in the REE pattern of the Khohar L3 chondrite (Nakamura and Masuda, 1973) was not observed in this study, indicating that the Ce anomaly may be caused by terrestrial contamination or alteration. A low εCe estimated for the source of Nakhla is consistent with our previous estimate (Nakamura et al., 1982) of a LREE depleted source.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Applicability of La-Ce systematics to planetary samples
Series title Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
DOI 10.1029/JB089iS02p0B438
Volume 89
Issue S02
Year Published 1984
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Description 7 p.
First page B438
Last page B444
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