Published April 2, 2002 | Version v1
Journal article

102Rhm: Could it be a cosmic-ray chronometer?

  • 1. Instituto de Fisica da USP, IFUSP, Rua do Matao, Travessa R, 187, 05508-900 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)
  • 2. Universidade Santo Amaro, UNISA, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)
  • 3. Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN-SP, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)
  • 4. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, LBNL, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

Description

Looking for a possible cosmic-ray chronometer, we have studied the decay modes of 102Rhm,g. Its ground state has a half-life of 207 days, and decays to 102Ru and 102Pd via β++ε (80%) and β- (20%) respectively. The meta-stable state has a 2.9-year half-life, and decays to 102Ru and 102Rhg via ε decay (≅100%) and a highly converted isomeric transition (0.23%) respectively, with no indication of β+ or β- decays. In the absence of the atomic electrons, the isomeric state will only decay either via β+ or an M4 γ decay of 90 keV, both not observed. Measurements of the most probable β+ branch were performed with a germanium multi-detector system, through sum coincidence method, and allow setting an upper limit of 2.5x10-6 per decay, with 95% confidence level. From this upper limit, a partial half-life greater than 1.2x106 years is inferred. Investigation of the isomeric transition is under way

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
AIP Conference Proceedings
Journal Volume
610
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 437-440
ISSN
0094-243X
CODEN
APCPCS

Conference

Title
International nuclear physics conference on nuclear physics in the 21st century
Acronym
INPC 2001
Dates
30 Jul - 3 Aug 2001
Place
Berkeley, CA (United States)

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.