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Extraction of helium from individual interplanetary dust particles by step-heatingFragments from 20 individual particles, collected in the earth's stratosphere and believed to be interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), were subjected to step-heating to see if differences in the release pattern for He-4 could be observed which might provide clues to the origin of the particles. Comparisons were made to the release pattern for 18 individual lunar surface grains heated in the same manner. Twelve of the IDP fragments contained an appreciable amount of He-4, 50 percent of which was released by the time the particles were heated to approximately 630 C. For the 18 individual lunar grains, the corresponding average temperature was 660 C. The He-3/He-4 ratios found for these fragments agreed well with those found for deep Pacific magnetic fines believed to be of extraterrestrial origin, and were comparable to those which have been observed for the solar wind and lunar surface soil grains. Four of the IDP fragments contained appreciably less He-4, and this was released at a higher temperature. The remaining four fragments had too little He-4 to permit a determination. From Flynn's analyses of the problem of the heating of IDPs in their descent in the atmosphere, the present results suggest that the parent IDPs of the 12 particles which contained an appreciable amount of He-4 suffered very little heating in their descent and are likely of asteroidal origin, although one cannot rule out the possibility that at least some of them had a cometary origin and entered the earth's atmosphere at a grazing angle.
Document ID
19920063682
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Nier, A. O.
(NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Schlutter, D. J.
(Minnesota, University Minneapolis, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Meteoritics
Volume: 27
Issue: 2 Ju
ISSN: 0026-1114
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
92A46306
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG9-110
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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