138Ce / 142Ce and 143Nd / 144Nd ratios in seawater samples

Abstract

The isotopic composition of Ce in seawater has been measured for the first time, together with that of Nd. In spite of rather great uncertainties of measurement, we can say that the extent of l38Ce/14*Ce variation appears considerably large, and that the ratio can be used as a geochemical indicator character-istic of water mass. According to our data, ,38Ce/ ,4ZCe ratio appears to be related with Ce content or Ce anomaly, reflec-ting sample locality, U3Nd/ ,44Nd ratio also decreases with Nd content, but their relationship is less local-ized than that observed for 138Ce/NZCe ratio. © 1990, GEOCHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN. All rights reserved.