Exercise Epsilon Nd-value

Granite sample S81 from the Damara orogen in Namibia has a Nd and Sm concentration of 46.4 ppm and 13.6 ppm, respectively, and a present-day (i.e. measured) ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratio of 0.512155. The U-Pb zircon age of the sample is 515 Ma. Calculate the initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratio and the corresponding initial εNd value of the sample (initial means the values at the time of granite formation 515 Ma ago).

Additional information: The present-day isotope abundances of ¹⁴⁷Sm and ¹⁴⁴Nd are 15.00% and 23.80%. The molar masses of Sm and Nd are 150.36 and 144.24 g/mol. All other inforamtion (CHUR data, decay constant of ¹⁴⁷Sm etc.) can be found on the overheads.

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