ac4016648_si_002.xls (41.5 kB)
Lead Isotopic Composition of Trinitite Melt Glass: Evidence for the Presence of Canadian Industrial Lead in the First Atomic Weapon Test
dataset
posted on 2013-08-06, 00:00 authored by Jeremy J. Bellucci, Antonio Simonetti, Christine Wallace, Elizabeth
C. Koeman, Peter C. BurnsThe Pb isotopic compositions for
51 spots of melt glass in 11 samples
of trinitite have been determined by laser ablation multicollector
inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS). Trinitite
glass yields a large range of Pb isotopic compositions (i.e., 206Pb/204Pb = 17.08–19.04), which reflect
mixing between industrial Pb from materials used in the Trinity test
and natural geologic components. Areas within trinitite melt glass
containing high concentrations of both Cu and Pb, which are derived
from the bomb and blast site-related components, were used for delineating
the Pb isotopic composition corresponding to the anthropogenic Pb
component. Comparison between the isotopic composition estimated here
for the industrial Pb used in the Trinity test and those from known
Pb deposits worldwide indicates close agreement with ore from the
Buchans mine (Newfoundland, Canada). The Buchans mine was active during
the time of the Trinity test and was operated by the American Smelting
and Refining Company, which could have provided the Pb used in the
test. The industrial Pb used in the Trinity test materials is not
documented in the literature (or declassified) but could have been
present in bricks, solder, pigs, or some other anthropogenic component
related to the experiment.