The newly discovered isotope plutonium-227 has a half-life of 0.78 seconds, according to a team of Chinese physicists.
Areas 87≤Z≤97 and 112≤N≤136 in the nuclear map show the new isotope plutonium-227 (red star) and 12 nuclides (blue stars) discovered at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Science. Image credit: Huabin Yang.
“The magic numbers of protons and neutrons, such as 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, and 126, are correlated with shell closure,” said Dr. Zaiguo Gan of the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. . And my colleagues.
“Previous studies have shown that the closure of the 126 neutron shell weakens persistently up to uranium, so it will be interesting to explore whether shell closure weakens in the transuranium region.”
“Through a series of experiments, we discovered that shell closure exists in neptunium isotopes.”
“However, due to the lack of experimental data, the robustness of this closure in plutonium isotopes remains unknown.”
To investigate the unknown plutonium isotope, the authors conducted experiments in the gas-filled reaction separator SHANS (Spectrometer for Heavy Atom and Nuclear Structures).
Using nuclear fusion vaporization reactions, we were able to synthesize plutonium-227, a plutonium isotope that is severely deficient in neutrons.
“Plutonium-227 is the 39th new isotope discovered by the Modern Institute of Physics,” they said.
From the nine decay chains observed, physicists determined the alpha particle energy and half-life of plutonium-227 to be approximately 8,191 keV and 0.78 seconds, respectively.
“These data are in very good agreement with the known plutonium isotope system,” they said.
The researchers now plan to examine more plutonium isotopes to gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of the shell in plutonium.
“The newly discovered plutonium-227 is still seven neutrons away from the magic number 126,” said Dr. Huabin Yang, also of the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
“To study the robustness of plutonium’s shell closure, we need to continue research on lighter plutonium isotopes, including plutonium-221 to plutonium-226.”
of the team work appear in the diary Physical Review C.
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HB Yang others. 2024. Alpha decay of the new isotope 227Pu. Physics. Rev.C 110 (4): 044302;doi: 10.1103/PhysRevC.110.044302
Source: www.sci.news
