A neutron capture study of the Jilin chondrite

Abstract– The isotopic compositions of Sm and/or Gd of nine documented drill core samples of the Jilin H5 chondrite were determined to study the neutron capture records of individual meteorite samples. All the samples showed significant isotopic shifts of ¹⁵⁰Sm/¹⁴⁹Sm and/or ¹⁵⁸Gd/¹⁵⁷Gd corresponding to neutron fluences of (1.3–1.7) × 10¹⁵ n cm^?2. Considering the short 4π irradiation age of 0.32 Ma during the second stage, the 2π irradiation of 7 Ma during the first stage is the main influence on the Sm and Gd isotopic shifts of the Jilin chondrite. Although a depth dependence of the neutron capture effects was expected from the isotopic variations of ¹⁵⁰Sm/¹⁴⁹Sm and ¹⁵⁸Gd/¹⁵⁷Gd in the Jilin chondrite core samples that were possibly drilled perpendicular to the surface of the large object with a radius of >10 m in the 2π‐geometry, no clear evidence was observed in this study. The data from the combination of the isotopic shifts between Sm and Gd defined as ε_Sm/ε_Gd suggest that the neutrons produced in the 2π‐geometry of the Jilin chondrite follow the similar energy spectra as the neutrons in lunar samples, although the present analytical quality is not enough to discuss a critical discussion for the thermalization of the neutron energy levels.