Quantifying interference of krypton produced from neutron irradiation of inclusion-hosted and lattice-coordinated bromine with 40Ar/39Ar geochronology

Various interfering reactions producing Ar isotopes during neutron irradiation from Cl, Ar, K, and Ca have been previously detailed with the significant ones being routinely corrected for in 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. Interference of double charged 80Kr (80Kr++) with 40Ar has not yet been considered. Significant amounts of 80Kr are produced during neutron irradiation through the reaction 79Br(n,β−)80Kr. While previous workers reported a computed fission spectrum averaged cross section of ∼48 mb-compared to ∼113 mb for 39K(n,p)39Ar-we determined a ∼33-fold higher production rate of 80Kr from Br compared to 39Ar from K in the CLICIT facility of the OSU reactor. Low-K, high-Br phases, e.g., some amphiboles, and fluid or melt inclusion rich samples are prone to 80Kr++ interference biasing 40Ar/39Ar dates in the ‰ to % range. 80Kr++ resembles excess 40Ar in step-heating experiments. The interference can be corrected for by using the parallel reaction 81Br(n,β−)82Kr.