The ¹¹B/¹⁰B Ratio of Local Interstellar Diffuse Clouds

Abstract

The isotopic ratio ¹¹B/¹⁰B of gas in diffuse interstellar clouds toward ζ Oph, κ Ori, and δ Sco is measured using HST/Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph echelle spectra of the B II 1362 Å line. To within the errors of measurement, the three lines of sight give identical results for a mean value of ¹¹B/¹⁰B = 3.4 +/- 0.7, a value quite similar to the solar system ratio of 4.05. These results show that the latter value is not highly anomalous and that a ratio higher than 2.5, as predicted for boron produced from spallation reactions controlled by high-energy cosmic rays, most probably requires a general explanation. The observed ratio is consistent with additional boron production either by spallation by low-energy (``Orion'') cosmic rays or by neutrino-induced spallation of carbon in Type II supernovae. The total abundance of B in the diffuse clouds is a factor of 5 less than the meteoritic value. This depletion of B is consistent with that found for Cu and Ga, two elements with a condensation temperature similar to B.

Based on observations obtained with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope through the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS4-26555.