Spectroscopy along flerovium decay chains. II : Fine structure in odd-A289Fl

Fifteen correlated α-decay chains starting from the odd-A superheavy nucleus 289Fl were observed following the fusion-evaporation reaction 48Ca+244Pu. The results call for at least two parallel α-decay sequences starting from at least two different states of 289Fl. This implies that close-lying levels in nuclei along these chains have quite different spin-parity assignments. Further, observed α-electron and α-photon coincidences, as well as the α-decay fine structure along the decay chains, suggest a change in the ground-state spin assignment between 285Cn and 281Ds. Our experimental results, on the excited level structure of the heaviest odd-N nuclei to date, provide a direct testing groun…

First Study on Nihonium (Nh, Element 113) Chemistry at TASCA

Frontiers in Chemistry 9, 753738 (2021). doi:10.3389/fchem.2021.753738

Identification of Thorium-236

Abstract The new nuclide 236Th has been produced via the (γ, 2 p) reaction by irradiation of 238U with 140 MeV bremsstrahlung. After chemical separation of thorium, the half-life was determined to be 36 ± 3 min -from the growth-decay curve of the strongest γ-ray transition of the daughter nuclide, 9 min 236Pa.

Study of short-lived tin isotopes with a laser ion source

A chemically selective laser ion source based on resonance ionization of atoms in a hot cavity has been applied for the study of short-lived silver isotopes at CERN/ ISOLDE. Silver atoms were ionized by two resonant excitations and final laser ionization into the continuum. Decay properties of the neutron-rich isotopes121–127Ag were studied with a neutron long-counter and aβ-detector.

Spectroscopy along flerovium decay chains. III : Details on experiment, analysis, 282Cn, and spontaneous fission branches

Flerovium isotopes (element Z=114) were produced in the fusion-evaporation reactions 48Ca+242,244Pu and studied with an upgraded TASISpec decay station placed in the focal plane of the gas-filled separator TASCA at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany. Twenty-nine flerovium decay chains were identified by means of correlated implantation, α decay, and spontaneous fission events. Data analysis aspects and statistical assessments, primarily based on measured rates of various events, which laid the foundation for the comprehensive spectroscopic information on the flerovium decay chains, are presented in detail. Various decay scenarios of an excited state obse…

On the adsorption and reactivity of element 114, flerovium

Flerovium (Fl, element 114) is the heaviest element chemically studied so far. To date, its interaction with gold was investigated in two gas-solid chromatography experiments, which reported two different types of interaction, however, each based on the level of a few registered atoms only. Whereas noble-gas-like properties were suggested from the first experiment, the second one pointed at a volatile-metal-like character. Here, we present further experimental data on adsorption studies of Fl on silicon oxide and gold surfaces, accounting for the inhomogeneous nature of the surface, as it was used in the experiment and analyzed as part of the reported studies. We confirm that Fl is highly v…

Rapid Radiochemical Separation Procedures from Aqueous Solutions

The state-of-the-art in the field of rapid radiochemical separation procedures is illustrated by two systems using aqueous solutions as input: ARCA, an apparatus for repetitive separations, and SISAK, a centrifuge system for continuous separations. Applications presented are: Solvent extraction of element 105 investigated with 34-s 262105 using ARCA, and decay scheme studies of the fission product 1.0-s 110Tc by means of SISAK.

Determination of the first ionization potential of technetium

Using resonance ionization spectroscopy the first-ionization potential of actinium has been determined by analyzing different Rydberg series in two-color resonant laser excitation. Three individual Rydberg series were investigated, converging toward the ionic ground state and toward the first- and second-excited state of the actinium ion, respectively. A combined analysis of the convergence limits leads to a consistent value for the first-ionization potential of Ac of $43\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}394.45\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}(19)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}{\text{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, equivalent to $5.380\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}226\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}(24)$ eV.

MAIN CONCLUSIONS OF THE EC-HUMICS PROJECT: “EFFECTS OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES ON THE MIGRATION OF RADIONUCLIDES: COMPLEXATION AND TRANSPORT OF ACTINIDES”

Recoil-alpha-fission and Recoil-alpha-alpha-fission Chains Stemming from Element 115

GSI Scientific Report 2014 - GSI Report 2015-1

STATUS OF SUPERHEAVY ELEMENT RESEARCH

ABSTRACT A review is given on the search for superheavy elements in nature. Attempts to arrive at conclusive proofs have failed thus far, however. Attempts to produce superheavy elements in the laboratory by heavy-ion reactions proved negative results although a detection sensitivity of 10−35 cm2 corresponding to a production of a few atoms per experiment has been achieved. Two approaches have been followed: complete fusion and transfer of nucleons during damped collisions. The former is illustrated by the 48Ca + 248Cm reaction, the latter by the 238U + 238U and 238U + 248Cm reactions.

Study of non-fusion products in the 50Ti + 249Cf reaction

Physics letters / B B 784, 199 - 205 (2018). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2018.07.058

Spectroscopic Tools Applied to Element Z = 115 Decay Chains

Nuclides that are considered to be isotopes of element Z = 115 were produced in the reaction 48Ca + 243Am at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt. The detector setup TASISpec was used. It was mounted behind the gas-filled separator TASCA. Thirty correlated α-decay chains were found, and the energies of the particles were determined with high precision. Two important spectroscopic aspects of the offline data analysis are discussed in detail: the handling of digitized preamplified signals from the silicon strip detectors, and the energy reconstruction of particles escaping to upstream detectors relying on pixel-by-pixel dead-layer thicknesses.

Absence of delayed fission in the? ?-decay of 2.3 min238Pa

We have searched for beta-delayed fission in the decay of 2.3 min238Pa produced in the238U(n,p) reaction with 14.7 MeV neutrons. Through microprocessor-controlled chemical separations of protactinium about 109 atoms of238Pa were isolated and exposed to fission track detectors. From the absence of fission tracks an upper limit for the betadelayed fission probability of238Pa, i.e.Pβf<2.6 10−8, is obtained at 95% confidence level. This rules out positive evidence for this decay mode of238Pa reported elsewhere. Simple theoretical estimates ofPβf range from 10−7 to 10−9.

117番元素Ts合成のための48Ca+249Bk融合反応

We have performed an experiment to synthesize the element 117 (Ts) with the $^{48}$Ca+$^{249}$Bk fusion reaction. Four $\alpha$-decay chains attributed to the element 117 were observed. Two of them were long decay chains which can be assigned to the one originating from the $\alpha$ decay of $^{294}$Ts. The other two were short decay chains which are consistent with the one originating from the $\alpha$ decay of $^{293}$Ts. We have compared the present results with the literature data, and found that our present results mostly confirmed the literature data, leading to the firm confirmation of the synthesis of the element 117.