Solution of the α-potential mystery in the γ process and its impact on the Nd/Sm ratio in meteorites

Separation and recovery of exotic radiolanthanides from irradiated tantalum targets for half-life measurements

The current knowledge of the half-lives (T_1/2) of several radiolanthanides is either affected by a high uncertainty or is still awaiting confirmation. The scientific information deriving from this imprecise T_1/2 data has a significant impact on a variety of research fields, e.g., astrophysics, fundamental nuclear sciences, and nuclear energy and safety. The main reason for these shortcomings in the nuclear databases is the limited availability of suitable sample material together with the difficulties in performing accurate activity measurements with low uncertainties. In reaction to the urgent need to improve the current nuclear databases, the long-term project “ERAWAST” (Exotic Radionuclides from Accelerator Waste for Science and Technology) was launched at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). In this context, we present a wet radiochemical separation procedure for the extraction and purification of dysprosium (Dy), terbium (Tb), gadolinium (Gd), and samarium (Sm) fractions from highly radioactive tantalum specimens, in order to obtain ¹⁵⁴Dy, ^157-158Tb, ^148,150Gd, and ¹⁴⁶Sm samples, needed for T_1/2 determination studies. Ion-exchange chromatography was successfully applied for the separation of individual lanthanides. All separations were conducted in aqueous phase. The separation process was monitored via γ-spectrometry using suitable radioactive tracers. Both the purity and the quantification of the desired radiolanthanides were assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Test experiments revealed that, prior to the Dy, Tb, Gd, and Sm separation, the removal of hafnium, lutetium, and barium from the irradiated tantalum material was necessary to minimize the overall dose rate exposure (in the mSv/h range), as well to obtain pure lanthanide fractions. With the herein proposed separation method, exotic ¹⁵⁴Dy, ^157-158Tb, ^148,150Gd, and ¹⁴⁶Sm radionuclides were obtained in sufficient amounts and purity for the preparation of samples for envisaged half-life measurements. During the separation process, fractions containing holmium, europium, and promethium radionuclides were collected and stored for further use.

The dark side of alpha-particle optical potential: Emission from excited nuclei

Further analysis of α-particle emission from similar nuclei excited in neutron- as well as low-energy proton-induced reactions is involved concerning a possible difference between the optical model potentials (OMPs) which describe either alpha-particle elastic scattering and induced reactions or alpha-emission from excited compound nuclei. The key role of the pickup direct interaction is finally proved even at incident energies below ~10 MeV, as well as being eventually at the origin of the above-mentioned OMPs difference.

Origin of the p-process radionuclides 92Nb and 146Sm in the early solar system and inferences on the birth of the Sun

The abundances of (92)Nb and (146)Sm in the early solar system are determined from meteoritic analysis, and their stellar production is attributed to the p process. We investigate if their origin from thermonuclear supernovae deriving from the explosion of white dwarfs with mass above the Chandrasekhar limit is in agreement with the abundance of (53)Mn, another radionuclide present in the early solar system and produced in the same events. A consistent solution for (92)Nb and (53)Mn cannot be found within the current uncertainties and requires the (92)Nb/(92)Mo ratio in the early solar system to be at least 50% lower than the current nominal value, which is outside its present error bars. A different solution is to invoke another production site for (92)Nb, which we find in the α-rich freezeout during core-collapse supernovae from massive stars. Whichever scenario we consider, we find that a relatively long time interval of at least ∼ 10 My must have elapsed from when the star-forming region where the Sun was born was isolated from the interstellar medium and the birth of the Sun. This is in agreement with results obtained from radionuclides heavier than iron produced by neutron captures and lends further support to the idea that the Sun was born in a massive star-forming region together with many thousands of stellar siblings.