Speaker
Description
From 7 naturally occurring Nd isotopes, 5 are unstable in relation to α decay. Only for 144Nd, α decay was experimentally registered (to the ground state of the daughter nucleus), with half-life measured as 2.3x10^15 y [1]. This value is in a good agreement with our calculations. Theoretical T1/2 estimations of possible transitions for other Nd isotopes are higher. If these decays are accompanied by γ quanta, we could search for them with HPGe detector. We used a Nd2O3 sample with mass of 2.381 kg and a low-background set-up with four HPGe detectors in one cryostat. Measurements were performed at the STELLA facility of the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (Italy) over 51237 h. No effect was observed and new improved half-life limits were set which are 2-3 orders of magnitude better than those known previously. In particular, for α decays of 143Nd, 145Nd and 146Nd the lower limits are 2.8x10^19 y, 6.1x10^19 y and 3.3x10^21 y, respectively (for 143Nd and 145Nd – for α decays to the ground state and all possible excited levels, for 146Nd – for decay to the excited level 641 keV of 142Ce) with C.L. 90%. The estimated lower limit for 144Nd is 8.9x10^21 y (to the excited level 1596 keV of 140Ce). The lower limits on α decay and 2α decay of 148Nd were set as 1.2x10^19 y and 3.4x10^20 y for the first time.
[1] A.A. Sonzogni, Nucl. Data Sheets 93 (2001) 599.
Details
Nazar Sokur
Alpha decay of naturally occurring neodymium isotopes
Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
| Is this abstract from experiment? | No |
|---|---|
| Name of experiment and experimental site | N/A |
| Is the speaker for that presentation defined? | Yes |
| Internet talk | Yes |
