Neutron Activation Analysis of Trace Elements in Lava

POSTER

Abstract

The elemental compositions of lavas vary with the locations of the volcanoes from which they emerged. We have used neutron activation analysis to measure the abundances of approximately 32 different elements in lava samples collected from three different Hawaiian islands and from the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Two different neutron irradiations were performed at the McClellan Nuclear Radiation Center to optimize our sensitivities to both short- and long-lived radioisotopes. Gamma-ray counting was done at McClellan, UC Berkeley, and LBNL using large-volume high-purity Ge detectors. Results from the measurements will be presented and comparisons will be made between the trace-element compositions of the lavas from these different sites.

*This work was supported in part by grants from the U. S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Nuclear Nonproliferation (NA-22), and Office of Science.

Authors

  • R.E. Meyer

    • Univ. of California at Berkeley

  • J.L. Sabella

    • Univ. of California at Berkeley

  • K.J. Thomas

    • UC Berkeley, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • Univ. of California at Berkeley

  • E.B. Norman

    • UC Berkeley, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Univ. of California at Berkeley

  • P.V. Guillamon

    • Univ. of Sao Paulo, Brazil

  • I.D. Goldman

    • Univ. of Sao Paulo, Brazil

  • A.R. Smith

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.