Half-life of /sup 242/Pu

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · Phys. Rev., C; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.20.1135· OSTI ID:6093581

Aggarwal, S K; Acharya, S N; Parab, A R; Jain, H C

The half-life of /sup 242/Pu was measured relative to the half-lives of /sup 239/Pu and /sup 238/Pu in two independent sets of experiments. Synthetic mixtures were prepared using enriched isotopes of /sup 238/Pu, /sup 239/Pu, and /sup 242/Pu. The ..cap alpha.. activity ratios in these mixtures were determined by ..cap alpha.. spectrometry on electrodeposited sources using a silicon surface barrier detector while the atom ratios were obtained by mass spectrometry. The ..cap alpha.. activity ratios and the atom ratios were so chosen that these could be measured with a high precision and accuracy. A half-life value of (3.742 +- 0.024) x 10/sup 5/ yr is obtained using the half-life of /sup 239/Pu as 24110 yr. The value obtained using the half-life of /sup 238/Pu as 87.74 yr is (3.766 +- 0.025) x 10/sup 5/ yr. The average of these two independent sets of experiments leads to a half-life value of /sup 242/Pu as (3.754 +- 0.025) x 10/sup 5/ yr. The uncertainty given on the values is a combination of the one standard deviation on the average value and the error evaluated from estimates on various error components. The discrepancy existing in the earlier published values for the half-life of /sup 242/Pu determined relative to the half-lives of /sup 239/Pu and /sup 238/Pu is resolved.

• Research Organization: Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Trombay, Bombay 400085, India
• OSTI ID: 6093581
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., C; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., C; (United States) Vol. 20:3; ISSN PRVCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

652022* -- Nuclear Properties & Reactions
A=220 & above
Experimental-- Radioactive Decay-- (-1987)
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA SPECTROMETERS
DECAY
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HALF-LIFE
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MASS SPECTRA
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 242
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
SPECTRA
SPECTROMETERS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES