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187Re–187Os systematics in meteorites: early chronology of the Solar System and age of the Galaxy

Abstract

Using isotope dilution mass spectrometry, we have determined the 187Re/186Os, 187Os/186Os ratios of five iron meteorites of various groups, and one ordinary chondrite. These results show that iron meteorites and ordinary chondrites were formed within a short time. We determine the 187Re decay constant as 1.62 ± 0.0310−11 yr−1 and the 187Os/186Os isotopic ratio at the origin of the Solar System as 0.805 ± 0.011. These values are used to compute limits for the age of the Galaxy between 13,300 and 22,400 Myr.

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Luck, JM., Birck, JL. & Allegre, CJ. 187Re–187Os systematics in meteorites: early chronology of the Solar System and age of the Galaxy. Nature 283, 256–259 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/283256a0

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