Using the Advanced Rare Isotope Separator (ARIS) at the Rare Isotope Beam Facility (FRIB), physicists discovered five previously unknown isotopes: thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187, and lutetium were generated, isolated, and identified. 190. These new isotopes indicate that FRIB is now closer to creating nuclear samples that only exist when ultra-dense objects known as neutron stars collide.
Nuclear chart area, 69<=Z<=78 and 112<=N<=122. It shows known nuclei and eight nuclides recently discovered by fragmentation of platinum-198 beams at NSCL and FRIB (current research). Image credit: Tarasoff other., doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.072501.
“That's the exciting part. We believe we can get even closer to the atomic nuclei that are important to astrophysics,” said Michigan State University professor Alexandra Gade, FRIB's scientific director. I did.
“This is probably the first time these isotopes are present on the Earth's surface,” added Professor Bradley Sherrill of Michigan State University, director of FRIB's Division of Advanced Rare Isotope Separations.
Our sun is the atomic factory of the universe. Its power is enough to take out the nucleus, or nucleus, of two hydrogen atoms and fuse them into one helium nucleus.
Hydrogen and helium are the first and lightest items on the periodic table of elements. Reaching the heavier elements on the table requires an even harsher environment than the Sun.
Astrophysicists hypothesize that when two neutron stars merge, a gold-like element (about 200 times the mass of hydrogen) is produced.
A neutron star is the remaining core of an exploded star that was originally much larger than the Sun, but wasn't large enough to eventually become a black hole.
Neutron stars are not black holes, but they pack a huge amount of mass into a very modest size.
“They are comparable in size to Lansing (Michigan's capital) and the mass of the sun. People think, although they are not sure, that all the gold on Earth was created in neutron star collisions,” Professor Sherrill said. said.
By producing isotopes present at neutron star collision sites, physicists can better investigate and understand the processes involved in the production of these heavy elements.
The five new isotopes, thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187, and lutetium-190, are not part of that environment, but they are the closest scientists will get to that special region and will Prospects It's so good to finally get there.
To create the new isotope, the authors fired a beam of platinum-198 ions at a carbon target. The beam current divided by the state of charge was 50 nanoamps.
Since these experiments were conducted, FRIB has already scaled up the beam power to 350 nanoamps and has plans to reach up to 15,000 nanoamps.
On the other hand, new isotopes are exciting in their own right, offering the nuclear research community new opportunities to venture into uncharted territory.
“It's not a big surprise that these isotopes exist, but now that we have them, we have colleagues who are very interested in what we can measure next,” Professor Gade said.
“I'm already starting to think about what we can do next in terms of measuring their half-life, mass, and other properties.”
“Studying these amounts in previously unavailable isotopes can help inform and improve our understanding of basic nuclear science.”
“There's still a lot to learn. And we're on our way,” Professor Sherrill said.
of the team result appear in the diary physical review letter.
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OB Tarasoff other. 2024. Observation of new isotopes in 198Pt fragmentation at FRIB. Physics.pastor rhett 132 (7): 072501; doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.072501
Source: www.sci.news
