NEUTRON CAPTURE GAMMA RAYS FROM FLUORINE, MAGNESIUM, GALLIUM, BROMINE, AND HAFNIUM

Abstract

The neutron capture γ-ray spectra of fluorine, magnesium, gallium, bromine, and hafnium have been studied in the energy range above 3 Mev. In fluorine four γ-rays and in magnesium 12 γ-rays have been detected in addition to those previously observed. Most of these new radiations can be assigned to the known level schemes of the product nuclei. The spectrum obtained for each of the other elements is complex with only a few of the high energy γ-rays resolved, and in each case the γ-ray of highest energy is very weak and difficult to distinguish from the background. The most energetic gallium γ-ray at 7.73 ± 0.02 Mev. may be emitted in the direct ground state transition in Ga⁷⁰ while the 7.879 ± 0.013 Mev. γ-ray from bromine probably corresponds to the ground state transition in Br⁸⁰. In hafnium none of the observed γ-rays can be identified with a ground state transition in any of the isotopes.