[meteorite-list] Re:Radioactive Meteorites?

From: E.L.Jones <jonee_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:42:06 2004
Message-ID: <3A76485A.2FC81112_at_epix.net>

Hello Thomas, List,

Short answer- no
Long answer-no, BUT...

Radioactive is a "relative" term and oft misunderstood. A half cup of
Brazil Nuts gives off more ionizing radiation than the daily maximum
allowed for US nuclear workers. And if you have a bed partner , you get
more radiation from your partner's body than you do from all other
sources--on the average. Every naturally occurring element has been
identified in meteorites. This includes the ones we usually think of as
radioactive and all the radioisotopes of the ones we don't think of as
radioactive. Those isotopes missing would be those which have such short
half lives that they have all decayed in the eons since formation.

Meteorites do have trace, induced radio-nuclides which are of scientific
interest as they tell us something about the length of time a meteoroid
has been in orbit and subject to cosmic rays. Cosmic ray tracks tell us
how deeply a section of meteorite may have been buried. Parent -daughter
nuclides tell us how long since the meteorite solidified.

However, to date, no meteorite examined has been found as radioactive
as, a radium face place from an old alarm clock or a gram of Thorium or
Uranium. If a suspected object shows a high count per minute (CPM) be
suspicious of a plutonium power pack from a satellite.

Regards,
Elton

webbth_at_appstate.edu wrote:

> List members,
> Do any of you know if there are any known meteorites that exhibit
> radioactivity?
> Thanks,
> Thomas
Received on Mon 29 Jan 2001 11:52:08 PM PST