engleski

Analysis of Dinosaur Samples by nuclear microscopy

Several dinosaur bone and eggshell fossil samples unearthed at different sites in China were analyzed by means of nuclear microscopy. Concentrations and distributions of elements such as Na, Mg, Al, P, S, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sr, Y, Ce, Pb and U, etc. were obtained for each sample. The results of quantitative PIXE and RBS analyses show unusually high concentrations of U and Ce in several samples obtained from a period near the K-T boundary (between Cretaceous and Tertiary periods, 65 million years ago), suggesting that some form of environmental pollution could be the cause of dinosaur extinction.

nuclear microscopy ; PIXE ; RBS ; fossil samples

Rad je prezentiran na skupu Nuclear Microprobe Technology and Applications, održanom od 11.– 15.11.1996.g., Santa Fe, SAD ; Barney L. Doyle, Carl J. Maggiore, Graham Bench (ur.).