Double beta-decay of selenium-82, tellurium-128 and tellurium-130

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5627914

Lin, W J

In the mineral kitkaite, NiTeSe, the amounts of radiogenic {sup 82}Kr and {sup 130}Xe from the {beta}{beta}-decay of {sup 82}Se and {sup 130}Te, respectively, were measured to obtain information on the half-lives of these rare nuclear events. From the ratio of radiogenic {sup 82}Kr to radiogenic {sup 130}Xe in this mineral, it is concluded of the double beta-decay half-life of {sup 130}Te exceeds that of {sup 82}Se by a factor of 6.25 {plus minus} 0.41. These measurements also yield half-life values of T{sub 1/2}{sup 82} = 1.2 {plus minus} 0.1 {times} 10{sup 20}y and T{sub 1/2}{sup 130} = (7.5 {plus minus} 0.3) {times} 10{sup 20}y based on the parent/daughter ratios and on the xenon retention age of associated uraninite. Radiogenic {sup 128}Xe and {sup 130}Xe that had accumulated in geologically old minerals of altaite and melonite were measured to obtain information on the double beta-decay of these two tellurium isotopes. It is concluded that the {beta}{beta}-decay half-life of {sup 128}Te relative to that of {sup 130}Te is 2540 {plus minus} 680 and the half-life of {sup 128}Te is (1.8 {plus minus} 0.7) {times} 10{sup 24}y. The isotopic composition of xenon was determined in samples of the Navajo C-1 well gas, Wildcat Field, New Mexico. The results demonstrated that xenon in the Navajo well gas contains radiogenic {sup 129}Xe and fissiogenic {sup 131-136}Xe from the spontaneous fission of {sup 238}U. The results of this study also show that the spontaneous fission of extinct {sup 244}Pu accounts for no more than 6% of the excess {sup 136}Xe in this well gas. Values of the ratio of radiogenic {sup 129}Xe to {sup 244}Pu-derived {sup 136}Xe in this well gas, in air, and in other terrestrial samples are shown to be consistent with a very simple and straight-forward chronology of events in the early solar system.

• Research Organization: Missouri Univ., Rolla, MO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5627914
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
033000* -- Natural Gas-- Properties & Composition
58 GEOSCIENCES
580400 -- Geochemistry-- (-1989)
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY
DECAY
ENERGY SOURCES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION VI
FISSION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HALF-LIFE
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON 82
KRYPTON ISOTOPES
MINERALS
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR DECAY
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 244
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
SELENIUM 82
SELENIUM ISOTOPES
SOLAR SYSTEM
SPONTANEOUS FISSION
STABLE ISOTOPES
TELLURIUM 128
TELLURIUM 130
TELLURIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM 238
URANIUM ISOTOPES
USA
WELLS
XENON 128
XENON 130
XENON ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES