Chemistry Nexus

A paper accepted Aug 2013 and published in September 2013  entitled Spectroscopy of element 115 decay chains by D. Rudolph et al. provides additional evidence for element 115.¹

Abstract

A high-resolution α X-ray and γ-ray coincidence spectroscopy experiment was conducted at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung. Thirty correlated α-decay chains were detected following the fusion-evaporation reaction ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁴³Am. The observations are consistent with previous assignments of similar decay chains to originate from element Z = 115. For the first time, precise spectroscopy allows the derivation of excitation schemes of isotopes along the decay chains starting with elements Z>112. Comprehensive Monte Carlo simulations accompany the data analysis. Nuclear structure models provide a first level interpretation.

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