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Detection of Plutonium-244 in Nature

Nature volume 234, pages 132–134 (1971)Cite this article

Abstract

Mass spectrometric measurements of plutonium isolated from Precambrian bastnasite confirm the presence of 244Pu in nature. Although the existence of 244Pu as an extinct radioactivity has been postulated to explain the xenon isotope ratios observed in meteorites, this is the first indication of its present existence in nature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico

    D. C. HOFFMAN & F. O. LAWRENCE

  2. General Electric Company, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, Schenectady, New York

    J. L. MEWHERTER & F. M. ROURKE

Authors
  1. D. C. HOFFMAN
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  2. F. O. LAWRENCE
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  3. J. L. MEWHERTER
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  4. F. M. ROURKE
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HOFFMAN, D., LAWRENCE, F., MEWHERTER, J. et al. Detection of Plutonium-244 in Nature. Nature 234, 132–134 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234132a0

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