Isotopic Composition of Solar Wind Nitrogen: First In Situ Determination with the CELIAS/MTOF Spectrometer on board SOHO
Abstract
Using the high-resolution Mass Time-of-Flight (MTOF) spectrometer of the Charge, Element, and Isotope Analysis System (CELIAS) experiment on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), we have determined the solar wind isotope abundance ratio 14N/15N = 200+/-55 (1 σ error), suggesting that the relative abundance of 15N in the terrestrial atmosphere is lower than in solar matter. This result is compatible with the hypothesis that terrestrial N (14N/15N = 272) and also N found in lunar surface material are a mixture of a heavy component that is identical to solar N and an unspecified light component. The large variations of 14N/15N in solar system matter is caused by special isotope enrichment processes, as in the case of Mars, as well as by varying contributions of isotopically different components.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 1998
- DOI:
- 10.1086/311702
- Bibcode:
- 1998ApJ...507L.185K
- Keywords:
-
- SOLAR SYSTEM: FORMATION;
- SUN: SOLAR WIND;
- SUN: ABUNDANCES;
- Solar System: Formation;
- Sun: Solar Wind;
- Sun: Abundances