A Primer on Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA)
For colleagues who wish to apply radio-krypton or radio-argon dating
Publications
Back to A Primer on Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA)Reviews
ATTA method
Sampling & Purification
Earth sciences
Reviews
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Cosmogenic nuclide techniques
J.M. Schaefer et al.
Nature Rev. Meth. Primer 2, 18 (2022) -
A critical review of state-of-the-art and emerging approaches to identify fracking-derived gases and associated contaminants in aquifers
J. McIntosh et al.
Environ. Sci. Tech. 53, 1063-1077 (2019) -
Radiokrypton dating coming of age
Z.-T. Lu
Nat. Sci. Rev. 3(2), 172-173 (2016) -
Tracer Applications of Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Geosciences
Z.-T. Lu, P. Schlosser, W.M. Smethie Jr., N.C. Sturchio
Earth-Sci. Rev. 138, 196-214 (2014) -
Kr-81 dating of old groundwater
R. Purtschert, R. Yokochi, N.C. Sturchio, Chapter 5. In: Suckow A., Aggarwal P., Araguas-Araguas L., Eds.
Isotope Methods for Dating Old Groundwater. IAEA, Vienna, p. 91-124 (2013) -
Tracing Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Environment
P. Collon, W. Kutschera and Z.-T. Lu
Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 54, 39 (2004) -
Laser-Based Methods for Ultrasensitive Trace-Isotope Analyses
Z.-T. Lu and K.D.A. Wendt
Rev. Sci. Instr. 74, 1169 (2003)
ATTA method
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A magnetically enhanced RF discharge source for metastable krypton production
J.-W. Yan, H. Li, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, F. Ritterbusch, and G.-M. Yang
Review of Scientific Instruments 94, 033202 (2023) -
Atom-Trap Trace Analysis of 41Ca/Ca down to the 10-17 level
T.-Y. Xia, W.-W. Sun, S. Ebser, W. Jiang, G.-M. Yang, H.-M. Zhu, Yun-Chong Fu, F. Huang, G.-D. Ming, T. Xia, and Z.-T. Lu
Nature Physics 19, 904-908 (2023) -
Online monitoring of atmospheric krypton-85 with hourly time resolution
Y.-Q. Chu, W.-H. Wang, X.-Z. Dong, C. Gao, J.-Q. Gu, S.-M. Hu, W. Jiang, S.-Y. Liu, Z.-T. Lu, F. Ritterbusch, G.-M. Yang, L. Zhao
Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry (2023) -
Optically enhanced discharge excitation and trapping of 39Ar
Y.-Q. Chu et al.
Phys. Rev. A 105, 063108 (2022) -
Generation of metastable krypton using a 124 nm laser
X.-Z. Dong et al.
Phys. Rev. A 105, L031101 (2022) -
Optical Excitation and Trapping of 81Kr
J. S. Wang et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 023201 (2021) -
An atom trap system for 39Ar dating with improved precision
Amin L. Tong et al.
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 92, 063204 (2021) -
Monitoring atmospheric 85Kr by atom counting
Chao Gao et al.
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 233, 106604 （2021） -
Enhanced detection limits for radiokrypton analysis
Jake C. Zappala, Derek McLain, Peter Mueller, Jennifer L. Steeb
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 326, 1075-1079 (2020) -
Enhancement of the 81Kr and 85Kr count rates by optical pumping
Z. Y. Zhang et al.
Phys. Rev. A 101, 053429 (2020) -
An electromagnetic separation system for the enrichment of 39Ar
Z. H. Jia et al.
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 91, 033309 (2020) -
Atom trap trace analysis of krypton in xenon for the XENON Dark Matter Project
E. Aprile et al.
J. Instrum. 13, P10018 (2018) -
Laser-based metastable krypton generation
M.A. Dakka et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 093201 (2018) -
Rapid processing of 85Kr/Kr ratios using Atom Trap Trace Analysis
J. C. Zappala et al.
Water Resour. Res. 53, 2553– 2558 (2017) -
Bichromatic force on metastable argon for atom-trap trace analysis
Z. Feng et al.
Phys. Rev. A 96, 013424 (2017) -
Ion Current as a Precise Measure of the Loading Rate of a Magneto-Optical Trap
W. Jiang et al.
Opt. Lett. 39, 409-412 (2014) -
Analysis of 85Kr: a comparison at the 10-14 level using micro-liter samples
G.-M. Yang et al.
Sci. Rep. 3, 1596 (2013) -
An atom counter for measuring 81Kr and 85Kr in environmental samples
W. Jiang et al.
Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 91, 1-6 (2012) -
Ar-39 detection at 10-16 isotopic abundance level with atom trap trace analysis
W. Jiang et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 103001 (2011) -
A thermal beam of metastable krypton atoms produced by optical excitation
Y. Ding et al.
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 78, 023103 (2007) -
Beam of metastable krypton atoms extracted from a microwave-driven discharge
Y. Ding et al.
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 126105 (2006) -
An atom trap system for practical 81Kr-dating
X. Du et al.
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 75, 3224 (2004) -
Counting individual 41Ca atoms with a Magneto-Optical Trap
D. Moore et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 153002 (2004) -
A new method of measuring 81Kr and 85Kr abundances in environmental samples
X. Du et al.
Geophys. Res. Lett. 30, 2068 (2003) -
A Beam of Metastable Krypton Atoms Extracted from an RF-Driven Discharge
C.Y. Chen et al.
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 72, 271 (2001) -
Ultrasensitive isotope trace analyses with a magneto-optical trap
C.Y. Chen et al.
Science 286, 1139 (1999)
Sampling & Purification
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Developments of a field gas extraction device and krypton purification system for groundwater radio-krypton dating at the IAEA
N. Romeo et al.
Applied radiation and isotopes 189, 110450 (2022) -
In-situ sampling for krypton-85 groundwater dating
S. Musy et al.
J. Hydrology X 11, 100075 (2021) -
Dual Separation of Krypton and Argon from Environmental Samples for Radioisotope Dating
X.-Z. Dong et al.
Anal. Chem. 91, 21, 13576-13581 (2019) -
Optimization of a portable hollow-fiber-based device for extracting radiokrypton dissolved in deep groundwater and selection of 222Rn as an indicator of Kr extraction efficiency
T. Ohta et al.
J. Hydrology 574, 476–485 (2019) -
Field degassing as a new sampling method for 14C analyses in old groundwater
R. Yokochi et al.
Radiocarbon 60, 349 (2017) -
Recent developments on field gas extraction and sample preparation methods for radiokrypton dating of groundwater
R. Yokochi
J. Hydrology 540, 368-378 (2016) -
Separation of argon from environmental samples for Ar-37 and Ar-39 analyses
R.A. Riedman, R. Purtschert
Separation and Purification Tech. 170, 217-223 (2016) -
Analysis of Kr-85 and Kr-81 in a few liters of air
L.-Y. Tu et al.
Analytical Chemistry 86, 4002-4007 (2014) -
Method for purification of krypton from environmental samples for radiokrypton analysis
R. Yokochi et al.
Analytical Chem. 80, 8688–8693 (2008)
Earth sciences
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Feasibility of 129I groundwater dating calibrated by both 81Kr and 4He for the assessment of deep geological repository in Japan
Tomoko Ohta, Takuma Hasegawa, Wei Jiang, Guo Min Yang, Zheng-Tian Lu, Yasunori Mahara
Scientific Reports 14, 15688 (2024) -
Identification of 140,000-year-old blue ice in the Grove Mountains, East Antarctica, by krypton-81 dating
Zhengyi Hu, Wei Jiang, Yuzhen Yan, Yan Huang, Xueyuan Tang, Lin Li, Florian Ritterbusch, Guo-Min Yang, Zheng-Tian Lu, and Guitao Shi
The Cryosphere 18, 1647-1652 (2024) -
New insights into the flow dynamics of a deep freshwater aquifer in the semi-arid and saline Cuvelai-Etosha Basin, Northern Namibia: Results of a multi-environmental tracer study
R. Baumle et al.
Journal of Hydrology 52, 101721 (2024) -
Investigating the enigma of an irregular groundwater age pattern in a confined, presumed “fossil” complex aquifer through mixing cell flow modeling
B. Atencio, R. Ram, A. Burg, R. Yokochi, Y. Yechieli, R. Purtschert, Z.-T. Lu, W. Jiang, Z. Ronen, E. M. Adar
Journal of Hydrology 630, 130631 (2024) -
The Antarctic Ice Core Chronology 2023 (AICC2023) chronological framework and associated timescale for the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) Dome C ice core
Marie Bouchet, Amaëlle Landais, Antoine Grisart, Frédéric Parrenin, Frédéric Prié, Roxanne Jacob, Elise Fourré, Emilie Capron, Dominique Raynaud, Vladimir Ya Lipenkov, Marie-France Loutre, Thomas Extier, Anders Svensson, Etienne Legrain, Patricia Martinerie, Markus Leuenberger, Wei Jiang, Florian Ritterbusch, Zheng-Tian Lu, and Guo-Min Yang
Climate of the Past 19, 2257-2286 (2023) -
Using 81Kr and isotopic tracers to characterise old groundwater in the Bangkok metropolitan and vicinity areas
K. Kamdee et al.
Isotopes in environmental and health studies (2023) -
Changes in groundwater dynamics and geochemical evolution induced by drainage reorganization: Evidence from 81Kr and 36Cl dating of geothermal water in the Weihe Basin of China
J. Li, Z. Pang, Y. Liu, S. Hu, W. Jiang, L. Tian, G. Yang, Y. Jiang, X. Jiao, J. Tian
Earth and Planetary Science Letters 623, 118452 (2023) -
Reviewing 39Ar and 37Ar underground production in shallow depths with implications for groundwater dating
S. Musy, R. Purtschert
Science of the Total Environment 884, 163868 (2023) -
Residence times of groundwater along a flow path in the Great Artesian Basin determined by 81Kr, 36Cl and 4He: Implications for paleo-hydrogeology
R. Purtschert, A. J. Love, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, S. Fulton, D. Wohling, P. Shand, W. Aeschbach, L. Broder, P. Mueller, and Y. Tosaki
Science of the Total Environment 859, 159886 (2023) -
Combining 14CDOC and 81Kr with hydrochemical data to identify recharge processes in the South German Molasse Basin
T. Winter and F. Einsiedl
J. Hydrology 612, 128020 (2022) -
Multi-tracer groundwater dating in southern Oman using Bayesian modeling
V. Raedle et al.
Water Res. Res. 58, e2021WR031776 (2022) -
A Tibetan ice core covering the past 1,300 years radiometrically dated with 39Ar
F. Ritterbusch et al.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 119, e2200835119 (2022) -
Large-scale paleo water-table rise in a deep desert aquifer recorded by dissolved noble gases
R. Ram et al.
J. Hydrology 612, 128114 (2022) -
Chronostratigraphy of the Larsen blue-ice area in northern Victoria Land, East Antarctica, and its implications for paleoclimate
G. Lee et al.
Cryosphere 16, 2301 (2022) -
Krypton-81 dating constrains timing of deep groundwater flow activation
J.-H. Kim et al.
Geophys. Res. Lett. 49, e2021GL097618 (2022) -
81Kr reveals one-million-year-old groundwater at the Atlantic coast of Argentina as a record of Mid-Pleistocene climate
D.E. Martínez et al.
J. Hydrology 610, 127846 (2022) -
An extension of the TALDICE ice core age scale reaching back to MIS 10.1
I. Crotti, A. Landais, B. Stenni, L. Bazin, F. Parrenin, M. Frezzotti, F. Ritterbusch, Z. -T. Lu, W. Jiang, G.-M. Yang, E. Fourré, A. Orsi, R. Jacob, B. Minster, F. Prié, G. Dreossi, and C. Barbante
Quaternary Science Reviews 266, 107078 (2021) -
Reconstruction of the atmospheric 39Ar/Ar history
J.-Q. Gu, A.-L. Tong, G-M. Yang, S.-M. Hu, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, R. Purtschert, F. Ritterbusch
Chemical Geology 583, 120480 (2021) -
Inflection points on groundwater age and geochemical profiles along wellbores light up hierarchically nested flow systems
J. Zhang, X.-S. Wang, L. Yin, W. Wang, A. Love, Z.-T. Lu, W. Jiang, G.-M. Yang, Y. Xie, X. Wang, F. Sun, X. Tang, G. Hou, Z. Pang
Geophysical Research Letters 48, e2020GL092337 (2021) -
Stellar s-process neutron capture cross sections on 78,80,84,86Kr determined via activation, atom trap trace analysis, and decay counting
M. Tessler, J. Zappala, S. Cristallo, L. Roberti, M. Paul, S. Halfon, T. Heftrich, W. Jiang, D. Kijel, A. Kreisel, M. Limongi, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, R. Purtschert, R. Reifarth, A. Shor, D. Veltum, D. Vescovi, M. Weigand, and L. Weissman
Physical Review C 104, 015806 (2021) -
Origin of water masses in Floridan Aquifer System revealed by 81Kr
Reika Yokochi et al.
Earth and Planetary Science Letters 569, 117060 (2021) -
Goundwater residence time estimates obscured by anthropogenic carbonate
A. M. Seltzer, D. V. Bekaert, P. H. Barry, K. E. Durkin, E. K. Mace et al.
Science Advances 7, eabf3503 (2021) -
Controls on the 36Cl/Cl input ratio of paleo-groundwater in arid environments: New evidence from 81Kr/Kr data
R. Ram et al.
Science of the Total Environment 762, 144106 (2021) -
Underground production of 81Kr detected in subsurface fluids
R. Purtschert et al.
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 295, 65-79 (2021) -
Identifying recharge processes into a vast 'fossil' aquifer based on dynamic groundwater 81Kr age evolution
R. Ram et al.
Journal of Hydrology 587, 124946 (2020) -
Atmospheric 81Kr as an Integrator of Cosmic‐Ray Flux on the Hundred‐Thousand‐Year Time Scale
J. C. Zappala et al.
Geophy. Res. Lett. 47, e2019GL086381 (2020) -
Krypton-81 dating of the deep Continental Intercalaire aquifer with implications for chlorine-36 dating
T. Matsumoto et al.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 535, 116120 (2020) -
Radiokrypton unveils dual moisture sources of a deep desert aquifer
R. Yokochi et al.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 116, 16222 (2019) -
81Kr dating at the Guliya ice cap, Tibetan Plateau
L. Tian et al.
Geophys. Res. Lett. 46, 6636 (2019) -
Dating glacier ice of the last millennium by quantum technology
Z. Feng et al.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 116, 8781 (2019) -
Recent seawater intrusion into deep aquifer determined by the radioactive noble-gas isotopes 81Kr and 39Ar
Y. Yechieli et al.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 507, 21-29 (2019) -
39Ar dating with small samples provides new key constraints on ocean ventilation
S. Ebser et al.
Nat. Comm. 9, 5046 (2018) -
The circulation of the Dead Sea brine in the regional aquifer
N. Weber, et al.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 493, 242-261 (2018) -
Application of combined 81Kr and 4He chronometers to the dating of old groundwater in a tectonically active region of the North China Plain
T. Matsumoto et al.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 493, 208-217 (2018) -
Setting a Limit on Anthropogenic Sources of Atmospheric 81Kr through Atom Trap Trace Analysis
J. C. Zappala et al.
Chemical Geology 453, 66-71 (2017) -
Million-year-old groundwater revealed by krypton-81 dating in Guanzhong basin, China
J. Li et al.
Science Bulletin 62, 1181-1184 (2017) -
Using 81Kr and noble gases to characterize and date groundwater and brines in the Baltic Artesian Basin on the one-million-year timescale
C. Gerber et al.
Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 205, 187-210 (2017) -
Continental degassing of 4He by surficial discharge of deep groundwater
P.K. Aggarwal et al.
Nature Geo. 8, 35-39 (2015) -
Radiometric 81Kr Dating Identifies 120,000 Year Old Ice at Taylor Glacier, Antarctica
C. Buizert et al.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 111, 6876 (2014) -
Groundwater dating with Atom Trap Trace Analysis of 39Ar
F. Ritterbusch et al.
Geophys. Res. Lett. 41, 6758-6764 (2014) -
Krypton-81 Transport in Groundwater of the Culebra Dolomite Aquifer near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, New Mexico
N. C. Sturchio et al.
J. Contam. Hydrology 160, 12-20 (2014) -
Noble Gas Radionuclides in Yellowstone Geothermal Gas Emissions: A Reconnaissance
R. Yokochi et al.
Chemical Geology 339, 43-51 (2013) -
Cosmogenic, radiogenic, and stable isotopic constraints on groundwater residence time in the Nubian Aquifer, Western Desert of Egypt
L.J. Patterson et al.
Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 6, Q01005 (2005) -
One million year old groundwater in the Sahara revealed by krypton-81 and chlorine-36
N. C. Sturchio et al.
Geophys. Res. Lett. 31, L05503 (2004)