The paper behind this article looks as if it would be a fascinating read (including a long slog of looking up and trying to understand definitions):-
http://www.livescience.com/43584-ear...ls-zircon.html
In essence, it seems as if, using new technology, geologists have been able to track the distribution of daughter lead (due to radio active decay) in a zircon, thereby firming up the idea that it does not necessarily leak out of the containing crystal. Evidence has been that zirons are closed systems. These geologists counted atoms to demonstrate this to be the case in a few of the crystals at least.
Thanks to poster mountaineer_elf from another forum.
http://www.livescience.com/43584-ear...ls-zircon.html
In essence, it seems as if, using new technology, geologists have been able to track the distribution of daughter lead (due to radio active decay) in a zircon, thereby firming up the idea that it does not necessarily leak out of the containing crystal. Evidence has been that zirons are closed systems. These geologists counted atoms to demonstrate this to be the case in a few of the crystals at least.
Thanks to poster mountaineer_elf from another forum.
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