Darmstadt 2016 – scientific programme
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HK: Fachverband Physik der Hadronen und Kerne
HK 4: Nuclear Astrophysics I
HK 4.3: Talk
Monday, March 14, 2016, 14:45–15:00, S1/01 A02
Time-Resolved Two Million Year Old Supernova Activity Discovered in the Earth’s Microfossil Record — •Shawn Bishop1, Peter Ludwig1, Ramon Egli2, Valentina Chernenko1, Boyana Deveva1, Thomas Faestermann1, Nicolai Famulok1, Leticia Fimiani1, Jose Gomez1, Karin Hain1, Gunther Korschinek1, Marianne Hanzlik3, Silke Merchel4, and Georg Rugel4 — 1Physik Department, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany — 2Geomagnetism and Gravimetry, Central Institute for Metrology and Geodynamics, 1190 Vienna, Austria — 3Chemie Department, FG Elektronmikroskopie, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany — 4Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Helmholtz Institute Freiburg for Resource Technology, 01328 Dresden, Germany
Using accelerator mass spectrometry, we have conducted a search for live, supernova-produced, 60Fe atoms within biogenically produced magnetite (Fe3O4) crystals contained in two Pacific Ocean sediment cores. We have found a time-resolved 60Fe signal in both sediment cores, above background, centered at approximately 2.1 Myr ago and spanning approximately 800 kyr duration (full width half maximum). The onset of this signal coincides with a known marine extinction event at the Pleiocene/Pleistocene boundary, and its shape will require eventual astrophysical interpretation to understand.