Radiolysis in Nature: Evidence from the Oklo Natural Reactors

摘要

An examination of the mineralogy of the reactor zones at Oklo shows that they have been significantly altered. The rocks immediately adjacent to these zones are also mineralogically modified with respect to normal uranium bearing rocks. The mineralogic changes appear to be the consequence of radiation damage, changes in the bulk chemistry of the system and increased temperatures. Chemical changes were the consequence of convectively circulating fluids that transported elements in and out of the rocks. There were also changes in the electrochemical conditions in the rocks. These changes can most reasonably be attributed to oxidizing and reducing species produced by the radiolysis of water. We have calculated radiation doses and examined the production of radiolysis products in the fluid phase which lead to the following conclusions: 1) There was a net reduction of iron, probably associated with a net increase in total iron in the rocks of the reactor zones. The reduction of iron was most likely the result of hydrogen produced by the radiolysis of water. 2) Commensurate with the iron reduction, there was an oxidation of uranium and multivalent fission products, resulting in their transport out of the reactor zone. 3) Approximately 10 percent of the uranium and various proportions of these fission products were removed and redeposited in rocks within a few meters of the reactor zones. 4) The calculated radiation doses from alpha radiation and the inferred hydrogen production suggest an effective radiation yield of 0.06 molecules of hydrogen per 100 eV of energy imparted to the fluid phase. Considering radiation from both alpha and beta sources, the G value for hydrogen production is reduced to 0.01 to 0.002 molecules H sub 2 /100 eV. (Atomindex citation 15:009027)