Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published November 1975 | Published
Journal Article Open

Cratering and cosmogenic nuclides

Abstract

A simple probabilistic model was constructed for the average value of a cosmogenic nuclide as a function of depth in a regolith. An arbitrary function was chosen for the size distribution of craters. The resulting integro-differential equation was found to reduce in limiting cases to: 1) the marching equation with a characteristic residence time, and 2) to the diffusion equation. The regolith diffusion constant is shown to be a simple integral of the cratering rate weighted by geometrical terms. This formal treatment provides a direct and general connection between cosmogenic nuclides and cratering rates and crater population in a simple analytical form. The validity of this model remains to be tested.

Additional Information

© 1975 by the American Geophysical Union. Received August 14, 1975; accepted September 11, 1975. This work was supported by grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NGL 05-002-188) and the National Science Foundation (MPS-7102670 A05). One of us would like to thank T. Tombrello for pointing us West during Michael Blake's senior year. We are pleased to acknowledge fervent discussions, continuous interaction and aid from our colleague, David B. Curtis.

Attached Files

Published - grl232.pdf

Files

grl232.pdf
Files (237.1 kB)
Name Size Download all
md5:2d791310518fa642217acc8d9b52b6fe
237.1 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 24, 2023