New nuclides: Neptunium-243 and neptunium-244
We have observedγ-rays following the β−-decay of243Np and244Np after chemical isolation of neptunium isotopes from the products of the reaction of 835 MeV136Xe with244Pu. The ground-state of 1.85-min243Np hasJ=5/2. The decay of 2.29-min244Np (probableJπ=7−) populates high-spin members of the ground state rotational band in244Pu.