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STUDIES OF SHORT-LIVED FISSION PRODUCTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE TO REACTOR TECHNOLOGY

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4305739
A systematic study of the decay schemes of some of the important alkali metal isotopes was made. Information is available on 17.8-minute Rb/sup 88/, 14.9-minute Rb/sup 89/, and 2.6-minute Rb/sup 90/. The decay characteristics of these nuclides show the general features exhibited by all of the short-lived fission products studied so far, namely, the short half-lives are related to high beta decay energies, which in turn permit the excitation of many auclear levels at relatively high energies. Consequently, the gamma-ray spectra are very complex. For example, the maximum beta-ray energies in Rb/sup 88, Rb/sup 89/, and Rb/sup 90/ are 5.30, 3.92, and 6.2 Mev, respectively, and the most energetic gamma-rays are 4.87, 3.52, and 5.25 Mev, respectively. The radiations from halogen fission products are also under investigation. Br/sup 84/ (32 minutes) was intensively studied. Besides the well-known beta-ray group at 4.7 Mev, several other high-energy beta groups were characterized. From a shielding point of view it was disquieting to discover a series of intense gamma rays from 0.81 to 3.93 Mev in the Br/sup 84/ decay. Studies on 52-minute I/sup 134/ and 86- second I/sup 136/ have- proved interesting, since they excite similar energy levels in Xe/sup 134/ and Xe/sup 136/. The beth-ray spectrum of I/sup 134/ exhibits an energetic component of 3.5 Mev, and at least 4 components of lower energy. The gamma-ray spectrum of I/sup 134/ extends to 1.78 Mev, but the intense radiations are found in the region of 0.5 to 1.3 Mev, of which the most intense are at 0.84 and 0.89 Mev. The I/sup 136/ decay is similar but the radiations are more energetic. Betaray transitions of 7.0 smd 5.7 Mev energy are a striking feature of the I/sup 136/ beta spectrum. A pair of gamma rays at 1.32 Mev dominates the I/sup 136/ gamma-ray spectrum, although there are six additional gamma rays to a maximum energy of 3.18 Mev. (auth)
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
NSA Number:
NSA-12-014971
OSTI ID:
4305739
Report Number(s):
A/CONF.15/P/672
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English

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