Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-15-1977

Publication Title

The Astrophysical Journal

Publisher

The American Astronomical Society

Abstract

Nuclear cross sections relevant to the various isotopic-abundance anomalies found in solar-system objects are evaluated in an attempt to set constraints on the hypothesized mechanism of irradiation of forming planetesimals by energetic protons from the young sun. A power-law proton spectrum is adopted, attention is restricted to proton energies less than about 20 MeV, and average cross sections are calculated for several reactions that might be expected to lead to the observed anomalies. The following specific anomalies are examined in detail: Al-26, Na-22, Xe-126, I-129, Kr-80, V-50, Nb-92, La-138, Ta-180, Hg-196, K-40, Ar-36, O-17, O-18, N-15, C-13, Li, Be, and B. It is suggested that the picture of presolar-grain carriers accounts for the facts more naturally than do irradiation models.

Download

Share

COinS