1992 Seaborg Award: Robert N. Clayton

Award Statement C&EN (Page 1)

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Clayton attended Queen’s University in Kingston, where he received B.S. and M.S. degrees in 1951 and 1952, respectively. In 1955 he obtained a Ph.D. degree at California Institute of Technology.

In 1973, he discovered oxygen isotope anomalies in meteorites, which has provided striking new insights into the nuclear and chemical history of the solar system.

Clayton’s work involves high-precision measurement of isotopic ratios by mass spectroscopy. He has used this to study the variations in abundance of the stable isotopes of several light elements in natural materials.

Of special note are the effects found in extraterrestrial materials such as meteorites, the Moon, and solar wind, which relate to the chemical processes during the formation of the solar system.

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