Protactinium determination in manganese crust VA13/2 by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)

Publication Status is "Submitted" Or "In Press: 
LDEO Publication: 
Publication Type: 
Year of Publication: 
1999
Editor: 
Journal Title: 
Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
Journal Date: 
Feb
Place Published: 
Tertiary Title: 
Volume: 
149
Issue: 
3
Pages: 
353-360
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Publisher: 
ISBN Number: 
0168-583X
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Edition: 
Short Title: 
Accession Number: 
ISI:000078600900014
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Abstract: 

Here we present the first high precision (231)Protactinium measurements in a manganese crust applying thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using the double filament technique. The detection limit using TIMS is at least one order of magnitude lower, the statistical uncertainty 6-8 times better than for alpha-spectrometry. Thus, older sections of manganese crust VA13/2 from the Northern Equatorial Pacific could be measured precisely for their Pa-231 activity. Our results reveal significant Variations in Pa-231(xs) activity for the last 150 ka which corroborate existing alpha-spectrometric data. If the growth rate was constant between 0 and 450 ka, the protactinium flux from the water column into manganese encrustations must have been variable. Thus, 231Pa(xs) is not suitable for dating marine Mn/Fe deposits. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

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166WMTimes Cited:8Cited References Count:18

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