Introduction: A confusingly large number of noble gas components has been found in meteorites, based on distinct compositions, origins, carrier phases, or release characteristics [1]. The discovery that the carriers of the primordial noble gases survive acid treatment [2] led to the identification of several circumstellar grain types [3]. The oxidisable carbonaceous carrier “phase Q”, however, ...

Introduction: In our series of experiments to determine the noble gases of phase Q in various classes of meteorites [1,2] we analysed the HF/HCl-resistant residue of an enstatite chondrite [3]. We have chosen the EH5 chondrite St. Mark’s because of its short cosmic-ray exposure age (~1Ma [4]) which is essential to reliably determine the He-Q and Ne-Q isotopic composition. E-chondrites might hav...

Dissolved noble gases in groundwater are used to reconstruct paleotemperature, but also yield information about "excess air", a component of dissolved gases in excess of solubility equilibrium, derived from dissolution of trapped air in the ground. A good characterization of the excess air component is necessary not only to obtain reliable noble gas temperatures, but also to investigate the pot...

This paper describes a technique in which noble gases such as 3He and 129Xe are polarized using optical pumping techniques, and used as a source of signal for magnetic resonance imaging. Techniques for polarizing the gas and a few representative examples of clinical applications are presented. Also emphasized is the connection between noble-gas imaging and the use of polarized gaseous targets i...

A chemical and water-free laser-assisted cleaning technology using deep ultraviolet photons in conjunction with a flowing inert gas is introduced. This environment friendly technology can be used in a wide-range of industrial applications.