Proton decay at the drip-line
Article Abstract:
The proton drip line is the point beyond which the spontaneous emission of protons from unstable nuclei takes place and is the ultimate limit for the existence of a nuclear species. The removal of an excess amount of neutrons from the nucleus by fusion makes it unstable and causes proton decay. Proton decay in nuclei can be studied with a high potential energy barrier that a proton must overcome to leave the nucleus. The heaviest isotope showing proton decay so far is bismuth 185, and many elements with odd atomic numbers between 69 and 79 also exhibit proton decay.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
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Doubly magical gamma rays
Article Abstract:
Measurements of the masses of stable isotopes and their natural abundances led to the first evidence for nuclear shell structure. The stable isotope super40Ca, which has the number of both neutrons and protons (N = Z = 20), is the heaviest stable nucleus with equal numbers of neutrons and protons. This is attributed to its doubly magic nature. Gorska and colleagues have measured the lifetime of the gamma-decaying state in super98Cd, which is much longer than expected from studies of other isotopes with N = 50.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1997
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A new twist in Beta-decay
Article Abstract:
Gatti and colleagues have found that the local molecular environment of the decaying nucleus has an important influence on the shape of the electron emission spectrum in beta-decay. New cryogenic detectors have become useful tools in the study of low-energy beta-decay spectra. Gatti and colleagues studied the decay of rhenium and detected waves of surprisingly high amplitudes.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1999
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