In an experiment at the SISSI-LISE3 facility of GANIL, the decay of the proton drip line nucleus 45Fe has been studied. Fragment-implantation events have been correlated with radioactive decay events in a 16x16 pixel silicon-strip detector. The decay-energy spectrum of 45Fe implants shows a distinct peak at (1.14+/-0.04) MeV with a half-life of T(1/2)=(4.7(+3.4)(-1.4)) ms. None of the events in...

Thoron 220Rn is one of four naturally occurring radon isotopes. It has a half-life T1/2 equal to 55 s. Radon isotopes are chemically inert radioactive gases that occur in the environment as a result of the decay of radioactive elements in soil and minerals. While radon 222Rn results from the decay chain of uranium 238U, thoron 220Rn results from the decay of thorium 232Th. Both uranium and thor...

Radioactive decay of naturally occurring nuclides provides the basis for the nearly all quantitative temporal constraints on geophysical phenomena, from climate dynamics on scales of 10-10 yr, to planetary differentiation over 10-10 yr. In general there are few geologic problems that are not accessible by radioisotopic chronometers, partly because of the wide range of radioactive parent nuclide...

NACTIVATION of bacteria and bacteriophages by decay of incorporated radio‘active phosphorus (P”) has been reported by STENT and FUERST (1955), FUERST and STENT (1956), STRAUSS, VAHARU, FRICKEY and MATHESON (1956), TESSMAN, TESSMAN and STENT (1957), MCFALL, PARDEE and STENT (1958), and KAUDEWITZ, VIELMETTER and FRIEDRICH-FREKSA ( 1958). These authors have suggested that the P32 disintegrations w...

Although an understanding of radiometric dating is central to the preparation of every geologist, many students struggle with the concepts and mathematics of radioactive decay. Physical demonstrations and hands-on experiments can be used to good effect in addressing this teaching conundrum. Water, heat, and electrons all move or flow in response to generalized forces (gradients in pressure, tem...