Settling the half-life of Fe 60: Fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer

A. Wallner; M. Bichler; K. Buczak; R. Dressler; L. K. Fifield; D. Schumann; J. H. Sterba; S. G. Tims; G. Wallner; W. Kutschera

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.041101

Settling the half-life of Fe 60: Fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer

A. Wallner, M. Bichler, K. Buczak, R. Dressler, L. K. Fifield, D. Schumann, J. H. Sterba, S. G. Tims, G. Wallner, W. Kutschera

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Abstract

In order to resolve a recent discrepancy in the half-life of Fe60, we performed an independent measurement with a new method that determines the Fe60 content of a material relative to Fe55 (t1/2=2.744yr) with accelerator mass spectrometry. Our result of (2.50±0.12)×106yr clearly favors the recently reported value (2.62±0.04)×106yr, and rules out the older result of (1.49±0.27)×106yr. The present weighted mean half-life value of (2.60±0.05)×106yr substantially improves the reliability as an important chronometer for astrophysical applications in the million-year time range. This includes its use as a sensitive probe for studying recent chemical evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of the early Solar System, nucleosynthesis processes in massive stars, and as an indicator of a recent nearby supernova.

Original language	English
Article number	041101
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	114
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.041101
Publication status	Published - 28 Jan 2015

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title = "Settling the half-life of Fe 60: Fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer",

abstract = "In order to resolve a recent discrepancy in the half-life of Fe60, we performed an independent measurement with a new method that determines the Fe60 content of a material relative to Fe55 (t1/2=2.744yr) with accelerator mass spectrometry. Our result of (2.50±0.12)×106yr clearly favors the recently reported value (2.62±0.04)×106yr, and rules out the older result of (1.49±0.27)×106yr. The present weighted mean half-life value of (2.60±0.05)×106yr substantially improves the reliability as an important chronometer for astrophysical applications in the million-year time range. This includes its use as a sensitive probe for studying recent chemical evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of the early Solar System, nucleosynthesis processes in massive stars, and as an indicator of a recent nearby supernova.",

author = "A. Wallner and M. Bichler and K. Buczak and R. Dressler and Fifield, {L. K.} and D. Schumann and Sterba, {J. H.} and Tims, {S. G.} and G. Wallner and W. Kutschera",

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T1 - Settling the half-life of Fe 60

T2 - Fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer

AU - Wallner, A.

AU - Bichler, M.

AU - Buczak, K.

AU - Dressler, R.

AU - Fifield, L. K.

AU - Schumann, D.

AU - Sterba, J. H.

AU - Tims, S. G.

AU - Wallner, G.

AU - Kutschera, W.

PY - 2015/1/28

Y1 - 2015/1/28

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AB - In order to resolve a recent discrepancy in the half-life of Fe60, we performed an independent measurement with a new method that determines the Fe60 content of a material relative to Fe55 (t1/2=2.744yr) with accelerator mass spectrometry. Our result of (2.50±0.12)×106yr clearly favors the recently reported value (2.62±0.04)×106yr, and rules out the older result of (1.49±0.27)×106yr. The present weighted mean half-life value of (2.60±0.05)×106yr substantially improves the reliability as an important chronometer for astrophysical applications in the million-year time range. This includes its use as a sensitive probe for studying recent chemical evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of the early Solar System, nucleosynthesis processes in massive stars, and as an indicator of a recent nearby supernova.

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Settling the half-life of Fe 60: Fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer

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