Negative correlation of iodine-129/iodine-127 and xenon-129/xenon-132: Product of closed-system evolution or evidence of a mixed component

Abstract

Anti-correlation of initial iodine ratios with trapped 129Xe/132Xe ratios has been interpreted as resulting from 129I decay to 129Xe in a closed system. However, many of the 129Xe/132Xe ratios that contribute to the anti-correlations are lower than 1.04, the value characteristic of major solar system reservoirs; 129I decay cannot lead to a decrease in this ratio. We offer an alternative explanation for the anti-correlations, based on trapped iodine and xenon components similar to those observed in Nakhla, that does not require the existence of components with 129Xe/132Xe lower than solar.