Xenon Record of the Early Solar System

We suggest that xenon isotopes in meteorites and in outer regions of the Sun contain debris from a supernova which exploded in the vicinity of the present Solar System, and we conclude that xenon in the outer planets is enriched in this supernova debris

Noble gases in the terrestrial planets

Abundances of primordial noble gases are lower for Mars than for Earth, but are higher for Venus. The data for Venus are attributed to implantation of solar wind in small preplanetary particles. Results for Mars are explained by escape of gas from planetesimals with radius between 5 and 100 km which form within the first 107 yr of the Solar System. Volatile loss is associated with melting caused by short-lived radioisotopes such as 26Al. © 1981 Nature Publishing Group