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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1–10Cite as

Radiogenic Isotopes

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Synonyms

Radiogenic nuclides

Definition

Radiogenic isotopes or radiogenic nuclides are produced by the decay of radioactive nuclei (e.g., 87Sr produced by the decay of 87Rb). The abundances of radiogenic isotopes are commonly reported relative to that of a stable, non-radiogenic isotope of the same element (e.g., 86Sr) as isotope ratios (e.g., 87Sr/86Sr). In geochronology, radiogenic isotopes are used for determining the timing and duration of geological events. They also provide tracers for chemical fractionations of parent and daughter elements by past geological processes, such as the chemical differentiation of the Earth.

Overview

Radiogenic isotopes are versatile tools in Earth sciences. In geochronology, they are used to determine the timescales of geological processes ranging from ages of individual minerals to the timescales of large-scale chemical differentiation of asteroids and terrestrial planets. As tracers of geological processes, radiogenic isotopes provide information...

Keywords

  • Age dating
  • Age of the Earth
  • Age of the Moon
  • Carbonaceous chondrites
  • Core formation
  • Late veneer
  • Mantle-crust evolution
  • Meteorites
  • Water

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Planetologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Thorsten Kleine

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  1. Thorsten Kleine
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Correspondence to Thorsten Kleine .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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Kleine, T. (2014). Radiogenic Isotopes. In: , et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1343-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1343-2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

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