Noble gas composition of the solar wind as collected by the Genesis mission

• Published in: Geochimica et cosmochimica acta 2009-12, Vol.73 (24), p.7414-7432
• Main Authors: Heber, Veronika S., Wieler, Rainer, Baur, Heinrich, Olinger, Chad, Friedmann, Tom A., Burnett, Donald S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0016-7037; 1872-9533
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2009.09.013

We present the elemental and isotopic composition of noble gases in the bulk solar wind collected by the NASA Genesis sample return mission. He, Ne, and Ar were analyzed in diamond-like carbon on a silicon substrate (DOS) and 84,86Kr and 129,132Xe in silicon targets by UV laser ablation noble gas mass spectrometry. Solar wind noble gases are quantitatively retained in DOS and with exception of He also in Si as shown by a stepwise heating experiment on a flown DOS target and analyses on other bulk solar wind collector materials. Solar wind data presented here are absolutely calibrated and the error of the standard gas composition is included in stated uncertainties. The isotopic composition of the light noble gases in the bulk solar wind is as follows: 3He/ 4He: (4.64 ± 0.09) × 10 −4, 20Ne/ 22Ne: 13.78 ± 0.03, 21Ne/ 22Ne: 0.0329 ± 0.0001, 36Ar/ 38Ar 5.47 ± 0.01. The elemental composition is: 4He/ 20Ne: 656 ± 5, and 20Ne/ 36Ar 42.1 ± 0.3. Genesis provided the first Kr and Xe data on the contemporary bulk solar wind. The preliminary isotope and elemental composition is: 86Kr/ 84Kr: 0.302 ± 0.003, 129Xe/ 132Xe: 1.05 ± 0.02, 36Ar/ 84Kr 2390 ± 150, and 84Kr/ 132Xe 9.5 ± 1.0. The 3He/ 4He and the 4He/ 20Ne ratios in the Genesis DOS target are the highest solar wind values measured in exposed natural and artificial targets. The isotopic composition of the other noble gases and the Kr/Xe ratio obtained in this work agree with data from lunar samples containing “young” (∼100 Ma) solar wind, indicating that solar wind composition has not changed within at least the last 100 Ma. Genesis could provide in many cases more precise data on solar wind composition than any previous experiment. Because of the controlled exposure conditions, Genesis data are also less prone to unrecognized systematic errors than, e.g., lunar sample analyses. The solar wind is the most authentic sample of the solar composition of noble gases, however, the derivation of solar noble gas abundances and isotopic composition using solar wind data requires a better understanding of fractionation processes acting upon solar wind formation.