SYNCHROTRON-RADIATION X-RAY FLUORESENCE STUDY OF THE COMPOSITIONAL HOMOGENEITY OF A SEDIMENT CORE FROM LAKE-BAIKAL

The first 100 m core-drill sample which was obtained by drilling from a boat frozen in the ice of Lake Baikal (BDP-93-1) was quantitatively investigated by synchrotron radiation XRF to investigate the trace ele ment contents. The ability to change the energy of the exciting monoch romatic beam and the high intensity of the radiation allow the investi gations to be performed with detection limits of 1-2 ppm for groups of geochemically important elements, Rb-Nb, Ba-Nd, and for milligram sam ples. The results showed geochemical inhomogeneity in the 61-65 m rang e of the core-drill, characterized by higher ratios of Sr to Rb, Sr to Y and Sr to Ce compared with other sections of the core.