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Geology topics

F. E. Senftle

Publications and source records attributed to F. E. Senftle.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS1960

Magnetic susceptibility of tetragonal titanium dioxide

Careful measurements have been made of the magnetic susceptibility of the rutile and anatase crystalline forms of titanium dioxide. The magnetic susceptibility of a single crystal of high-purity rutile was found to be (0.067±0.0015)× 10 − 6 emu per gram, and was temperature-independent from 55° to 372°K. Difficulty was encountered in obtaining a good value of the magnetic susceptibility of anatase because of impurities. However, a value of 0.02× 10 − 6 emu per gram was obtained as a maximum value for anatase powder. A discussion is given for the different values obtained for anatase and rutile.

Physical Review↗
USGS1960

Effect of crystal thickness and geometry on the alpha-particle resolution of CsI (Tl)

The resolution of CsI(Tl) for Po 210 alpha particles has been measured as a function of crystal thickness. The best resolution of a ½‐in. diam cylindrical crystal was obtained for a thickness of 0.38 mm, and the effect of thickness on the resolution is discussed. Based on the proposed model, a conical crystal was designed, which yielded a line width of 1.8% for Po 210 alpha particles with a selected photomultiplier tube.

Review of Scientific Instruments↗
USGS1959

Magnetic susceptibility of tektites and some other glasses

The magnetic susceptibility at several magnetic field strengths of about thirty tektites from various localities have been measured. The susceptibility ranges from 2 × 10 −6 to about 7.9 × 10 −6 e.m.u./g. Tektites from a given locality have similar susceptibilities. The intensity of magnetization of all the tektites measured is zero or very small. For comparison, the same measurements have been made on about thirty obsidians. The magnetic susceptibilities cover approximately the same range, but the intensity of magnetization of the impurity was found to be much higher. By heating the obsidians to 1450°C the intensity of magnetization was reduced to zero. From the above data, it is shown that the tektites must have been heated well above 1400°C, and that essentially all the iron is in solution. On the other hand, the evidence shows that obsidians have not been heated much above this temperature, and that there is a significant amount of undissolved iron in the glass, probably as magnetite. Further, if tektites are extraterrestrial, they probably entered the earth's atmosphere as a glass.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1959

α-Radioactivity of cerium-142

JOHNSON AND NIER 1 have measured the atomic masses of some of the rare-earth isotopes and have shown that the mass difference cerium-142—(barium-138 + helium-4) is equivalent to 1.68 ± 0.10 MeV. Similar results for the naturally occurring samarium and neodymium isotopes show that the α -active isotope of each element is the one having the largest possible decay energy. Rasmussen and others 2 suggest that the two or three neutrons just beyond the closed shell of 82 neutrons have decreased binding energies and hence the α -energy has a maximum about 84 neutrons. Johnson and Nier suggest that the α -decay of cerium-142 may take place with enough energy to be experimentally observable. Porschen and Riezler 3 examined a sample of un-enriched cerium ammonium citrate using nuclear track plates sensitive to α -particles. No α -activity was observed after a 30-day exposure of 1.2 mgm. of the cerium salt. In 1957 Riezler and Kauw 4 reported an alpha activity for an enriched sample of cerium-142. From their results they calculated a half-life of 5.1 × 10 15 years with an uncertainty factor of 2.

Nature↗
USGS1959

Absolute method of measuring magnetic susceptibility

An absolute method of standardization and measurement of the magnetic susceptibility of small samples is presented which can be applied to most techniques based on the Faraday method. The fact that the susceptibility is a function of the area under the curve of sample displacement versus distance of the magnet from the sample, offers a simple method of measuring the susceptibility without recourse to a standard sample. Typical results on a few substances are compared with reported values, and an error of less than 2% can be achieved.

Review of Scientific Instruments↗
USGS1958

Some natural variations in the relative abundance of copper isotopes

The relative isotopic abundance of copper has been measured in a number of minerals and a few plant materials. Suites of samples from Michigan and the Colorado Plateau have been examined in more detail to determine if local variations due to isotopic exchange or diffusion could be found. The relative isotopic abundance of copper in specimens from several other localities was also determined. The variations noted were small but in some cases were felt to be significant because they were larger than the experimental error (0·1 per cent in the ratio). A total spread of −1 to +8 parts per mil compared to the standard was found in the specimens tested.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

Quartz helix magnetic susceptibility balance using the Curie-Cheneveau principle

A quartz spring balance is described which can be used to measure the magnetic susceptibility of submilligram amounts of sample. The magnetic field is supplied by a moving permanent magnet, and the susceptibility is determined by the deflection of the spring observed in a measuring microscope. The apparatus is calibrated by a comparison standard (platinum) and results are shown for platinum, nickel aluminate, lead, manganese, and sucrose. A precision of better than 2% can be obtained on submilligram amounts of paramagnetic substances having a magnetic susceptibility of from 1 to 50×10 −6 emu/g. On weakly paramagnetic or diamagnetic substances comparable precision can be obtained on less than 10 mg amounts of sample.

Review of Scientific Instruments↗
USGS1957

Comparison of the isotopic abundance of U235 and U238 and the radium activity ratios in Colorado Plateau uranium ores

The isotopic abundances of uranium and the radium activity ratios of eleven samples of uranium ore from the Colorado Plateau have been measured. No significant variation in the isotopic abundance of the uranium was noted; with'in the experimental error, the average U 235 /U 238 ratio is 137.7. There is a significant variation in the Ra 226 /Ra 223 activity ratios (0.048−0.143), which indicates a relatively recent alteration of the ore samples. The variations do not, however, explain the lead-uranium and lead-lead age discrepancies.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1955

Theoretical effect of diffusion on isotopic abundance ratios in rocks and associated fluids

Diffusion is considered as a possible process of isotope fractionation taking place throughout geologic time. Both diffusion in solids and diffusion in liquids are taken as possible mechanisms, the latter being more important. Arguments are presented to show that if significant fractionation takes place within a crystal by outward diffusion under solid-state conditions, enrichment will be evident only in elements of minor concentration. Similar conclusions are inferred for solid-state diffusion across a boundary or for diffusion in liquids. No isotopic enrichment can be expected in relatively large bodies of diffusion transported material. Although the necessary data to confirm these conclusions are scanty, it seems worth while to undertake further work in this direction.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1954

Tables for simplifying calculations of activities produced by thermal neutrons

The method of calculation described is useful for the types of work of which examples are given. It is also useful in making rapid comparison of the activities that might be expected from several different elements. For instance, suppose it is desired to know which of the three elements, cobalt, nickel, or vanadium is, under similar conditions, activated to the greatest extent by thermal neutrons. If reference is made to a cross-section table only, the values may be misleading unless properly interpreted by a suitable comparison of half-lives and abundances. In this table all the variables have been combined and the desired information can be obtained directly from the values of A 3 λ, the activity produced per gram per second of irradiation, under the stated conditions. Hence, it is easily seen that, under similar circumstances of irradiation, vanadium is most easily activated even though the cross section of one of the cobalt isotopes is nearly five times that of vanadium and the cross section of one of the nickel isotopes is three times that of vanadium.

Il Nuovo Cimento↗
USGS1954

A theoretical study of alpha star populations in loaded nuclear emulsions

This theoretical study of the alpha star populations in loaded emulsions was undertaken in an effort to find a quantitative method for the analysis of less than microgram amounts of thorium in the presence of larger amounts of uranium. Analytical expressions for each type of star from each of the significantly contributing members of the uranium and thorium series as well as summation formulas for the whole series have been computed. The analysis for thorium may be made by determining the abundance of five-branched stars in a loaded nuclear emulsion and comparing of observed and predicted star populations. The comparison may also be used to check the half-lives of several members of the uranium and thorium series.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗