Email this article Search for the “stability island” of superheavy nuclei using natural track detectors
- Authors: Alekseev V.A.1, Bagulya A.V.2, Volkov A.E.2, Gippius A.A.2, Goncharova L.A.2, Gorbunov S.A.2, Kalinina G.V.1, Konovalova N.S.2, Okat’eva N.M.2, Pavlova T.A.1, Polukhina N.G.2,3, Starkov N.I.2, Soe T.N.2, Chernyavsky M.M.2, Shchedrina T.V.2
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Affiliations:
- Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry
- Lebedev Physical Institute
- National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”
- Issue: Vol 44, No 11 (2017)
- Pages: 336-339
- Section: Article
- URL: https://journal-vniispk.ru/1068-3356/article/view/228495
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068335617110069
- ID: 228495
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Abstract
The method of using natural track detectors, i.e., meteorite olivine crystals, is developed and improved applied to the problem of searching for superheavy nuclei in nature, in galactic cosmic rays (GCR). The new technique implements the sequence of etching, grinding, and track identification operations using the automated PAVICOM facility. The data on the track length and etching rate in combination with the results of calibration on heavy nucleus accelerators allowed the development of a technique for determining the GCR nucleus charge with an accuracy of ±2. On this basis, a significant set of experimental data on superheavy nuclei of natural origin was obtained (21743GCRheavy nucleiwithZ >20, including three nucleiwith a charge of 119−6+10). The minimum lifetime Tmin of the last-mentioned is within 50 years< Tmin < 100 years, which exceeds the lifetime of transfermium nuclei synthesized on accelerators by many orders of magnitude. The long-lived superheavy nuclei detected in the GCR spectrum can belong to the “stability island”.
About the authors
V. A. Alekseev
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, ul. Kosygina 19, Moscow, 119991
A. V. Bagulya
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
A. E. Volkov
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
A. A. Gippius
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
L. A. Goncharova
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
S. A. Gorbunov
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
G. V. Kalinina
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, ul. Kosygina 19, Moscow, 119991
N. S. Konovalova
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
N. M. Okat’eva
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
T. A. Pavlova
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, ul. Kosygina 19, Moscow, 119991
N. G. Polukhina
Lebedev Physical Institute; National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”
Author for correspondence.
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991; Leninskii pr. 4, Moscow, 119049
N. I. Starkov
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
Tang Naing Soe
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
M. M. Chernyavsky
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
T. V. Shchedrina
Lebedev Physical Institute
Email: poluhina@sci.lebedev.ru
Russian Federation, Leninskii pr. 53, Moscow, 119991
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