ABSTRACT

This paper describes the methodology of iodine-xenon dating of meteorites, the assumptions involved in this methodology, and possible failures of these assumptions. Particular attention is given to the case of the Arapahoe meteorite, in which DROZD and PODOSEK (1976) have reported the existence of trapped xenon with ¹²⁹Xe/¹³²Xe = 0.56, an interpretation disputed by KURODA (1976). We conclude that the conventional interpretations of iodine-xenon dating are valid, although objections to these interpretations cannot be rigorously dismissed.