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Related Concept Videos

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations03:18

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...
Types of Radioactivity03:23

Types of Radioactivity

The most common types of radioactivity are α decay, β decay, γ decay, neutron emission, and electron capture.
Alpha (α) decay is the emission of an α particle from the nucleus. For example, polonium-210 undergoes α decay:
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together in the...
Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating02:48

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating

Radioactivity is a spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nuclide and is a random process, as all the nuclei in the sample do not decay simultaneously. The number of disintegrations per unit time is called the activity (A), which is directly proportional to the number of nuclei in the sample. The decay constant (λ) is an average probability of decay per nucleus in unit time.
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed protons being...
Isotopes and Radioisotopes01:28

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

In the early 1900s, English chemist Frederick Soddy realized that an element could have atoms with different masses that were chemically indistinguishable. These different types are called isotopes — atoms of the same element that differ in mass. Isotopes differ in mass because they have different numbers of neutrons but are chemically identical because they have the same number of protons. Soddy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1921 for this discovery.
An isotope containing more...

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A Novel Technique for Raman Analysis of Highly Radioactive Samples Using Any Standard Micro-Raman Spectrometer
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Natural radionuclides as background sources in the Modane underground laboratory.

V Palušová1, R Breier2, E Chauveau3

  • 1Comenius University, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, SK-84248, Bratislava, Slovakia; Université de Bordeaux, CNRS/IN2P3, CENBG, F-33170, Gradignan, France.

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
|March 29, 2020
PubMed
Summary

The Modane underground laboratory (LSM), Europe's deepest, identifies key background sources for physics experiments. Dominant neutron backgrounds stem from (α, n) reactions and uranium-238 spontaneous fission.

Keywords:
Background sourcesGamma-ray sourcesModane underground laboratoryNeutron sources

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Area of Science:

  • Nuclear and particle physics
  • Astrophysics
  • Environmental physics

Background:

  • The Modane underground laboratory (LSM) offers a low-background environment crucial for sensitive experiments.
  • Understanding background sources is vital for accurate scientific measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and quantify dominant background sources at the Modane underground laboratory (LSM).
  • To characterize contributions from cosmic rays, muon-induced neutrons, and environmental radionuclides.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of radioactive contamination in construction materials.
  • Assessment of radon contamination in laboratory air.
  • Quantification of neutron production from (α, n) reactions and spontaneous fission.

Main Results:

  • Radioactive contamination of materials and radon are significant background contributors.
  • Neutrons from (α, n) reactions in low Z materials range from 10⁻⁷–10⁻⁴ n s⁻¹ Bq⁻¹.
  • Spontaneous fission of Uranium-238 contributes 1.1×10⁻⁶ n s⁻¹ Bq⁻¹ to neutron background.

Conclusions:

  • Radioactive contamination, radon, and neutrons are the primary background sources at LSM.
  • Neutron production from (α, n) reactions and 238U fission are the largest neutron contributors.
  • Mitigation of these sources is essential for future low-background research at LSM.