Abstract
Analyses on fresh glass samples of mid-ocean ridge basalt yield a uniform ratio K/U = 12,700 ± 200. In contrast, Th/U increases systematically with Th concentration. From these results we calculate an upper limit (1.5 pW kg−1) and a best estimate (0.6 pW kg−1) for the heat production in the depleted portion of the mantle. A new estimate is given for the terrestrial ratio of K/Rb = 513.
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Jochum, K., Hofmann, A., Ito, E. et al. K, U and Th in mid-ocean ridge basalt glasses and heat production, K/U and K/Rb in the mantle. Nature 306, 431–436 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/306431a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/306431a0
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