CII. Gamma radiation from the decay of238Pu94,242Cm96and243Cm96

Abstract

Accurate energy measurements on the gamma rays from the decay of ²³⁸Pu and ²⁴²Cm have been made with proportional counters. Values of 43·49±0·08, and 99·8±0.4 and 153·1±0·6 kev for ²³⁸Pu, and 44·03±0.06, 101·80±0·17 and 157·61±0·3 kev for ²⁴²Cm were obtained. The ratios of these energies for each nuclide agree well with those predicted in the strong coupling limit of the Unified model. Gamma rays having energies of 210±1·5, 228±2 and 277±2 kev and K-X radiation were found from the decay of ²⁴³Cm. These gamma rays arc shown to be magnetic dipole with a 30% mixture of electric quadrupole; the magnetic dipole component is 10⁴ times slower than the single particle estimate.