In reply to Jones Beene's message of Mon, 27 Nov 2006 09:08:51 -0800: Hi, [snip] >It is that strange isotope of hydrogen - 18O. Almost one percent >of the unpalatable water in the Great Salt Lake water consists of >this heavy so-called "isotope" 18O. The fact that there is such an >abundance seems impossible, since 16O is one of the most stable of >all nuclei.
Unfortunately, I think the explanation for the high concentration can in this case be found in the mundane. The lake is salty because it has no outlet. This means that the only way out for water is through evaporation. As we all know, evaporation tends to favor the lighter isotopes, hence the heavier 18O gets concentrated (as should D BTW). > >It has been speculated, on this forum before, that some of what is >responsible for this seeming anomaly in abundance is not due to a >primordial isotopic branching - but instead derives continuously >from the stable 16O in nature, which migrates in vapor and then in >the ionosphere becomes ozone, and then may capture and serve as a >host for the ubiquitous "solar hydrino-hydride." If there is any >of it on earth, this is one of the few possible mechanisms which >can bring it down [if that is, the bulk of it arrives charged, in >the Hy- form instead of Hy or Hy2]. [snip] Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://users.bigpond.net.au/rvanspaa/ Competition provides the motivation, Cooperation provides the means.
