Evening star., 1952-04-23
Theories on Meteorites
Spiked by New Studies
Radioactive Elements Found
But Tenth of Old Estimates
By Thomos R. Henry

The amount of radioactive elements,
chiefly uranium and thorium. in meteor
ties is less than a tenth that estimated
few years ago.
This is the conclusion of DR.. F. A.
Paneth Of the University of Durham.
England. It forces the discarding of
previously held theories of the radio
activity Of the center Of the earth.
The as yet unexploited phosphate
rocks of the United States. Russia and
Africa appear to contain about 10 million
tons OF uranium-or an average of about
100 grams per ton. it is reported by DR..
c. F. Davidson of the British Atomic
Energy Commission. This constitutes a
reserve of power greater than all the oil
and coal in the world.
Both of these conclusions are reported
in Nature, official organ of the British
Association for the Advancement Of
Science.
One Part In . Billion.
In general, says DR.. Paneth, the
uranium content Of iron meteorites is
somewhat less than one part in billion,
less than a thousandth that Of the
granite rocks in the earth's surface
which have the highest content. These
meteorites are presumably fragments
OF the interior Of q planet which ex-
ploded about couple of billion years
ago. They should have about the same
composition as samples of the earth's
interior.
One enormous source Of the earth,s
heat, some geophysicists have assumed.
is the radioactive material concentrated
IN the semi-liquid center Of the globe.
This. DR.. Paneth thinks, is altogether
too simple an explanation. There is
evidence, he says. tat some meteorites
hardened less than half million years
ago. The radioactive content varies
greatly from meteorite to meteorite.
Each Of them," DR.. Paneth insists.
mas its own geological history"
The Arctic slope of Alaska may prove
one OF the Nations richest oil fields.
Between the Arctic Ocean and the
Brooks Mountains. northernmost range
on the continent. lies the Naval Petro-
Ieum Reserve. A comprehensive techni-
cal report on exploration, drilling and
research in this area has just been issued
oy the United States Geological Survey.
The exploration program was started
by the Navy. carried out largely by
the Geological Survey in 1914 and has
continued ever since. It was essential
to know whether petroleum actually was
present and to estimate the probable
amount.
Used at Point Barrow.
Substantial amounts have been found.
according to the report. and some of the
gas is used as fuel at Point Barrow.
northernmoSt village under the Amer
1can flag, which can be reached by ships
for only six weeks each year. The
biggest oil find to date has been at
Umiat in the southern part of the naval
area. Reserves are estimated at between
80 and 100 million barrels. Oil also has
been discovered in non commercial
quantities at couple of other places.
To date. according to the report, the
Navy has drilled 81 test wells two Of
them to depths Of more than 10000
feet. In addition Al core tests for struc-
tural and stratigraphic information have
been drilled.
Most parts Of the region-probably
the least known of all American terri
tory until very recently-can be reached
quite easily by plane. Its only inhab-
ltants are few wandering natives. It
has long been recognized, theoretically.
that this country. buried under snow
most OF the year, should contain
considerable oil.