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Existence of the fifth unstable nuclide series

Existence of the fifth unstable nuclide series

Zhang Jia-Hua
Nuclear Science and TechniquesVol.07, No.01pp.21-23Published in print 01 Feb 1996
30500

The production of derived nuclides by the reaction of 238U with constant nuclear reactor neutron flux for long time is theoretically described. The concentration of each derived nuclide is zero at the beginning, then increases gradually and approaches a saturated value at a certain irradiation time. The whole system (including the parent nuclide 238U and all its derived nuclides) will be in a state of equilibrium. Upon the reaction with neutron flux, the whole system decreases its concentration at the same rate as 238U. It constitutes actually a new type of unstable nuclide series which is in work only in the presence of reactor neutron flux. It has been found that the amount of materials consumed by neutron flux reaction is almost converted entirely to fission product. This peculiar property is quite different from the well known four radioactive series, so that it is named the fifth unstable nuclide series.

Unstable nuclide seriesDerived nuclidesFission product238U232Th
References
1 Zhang Jiahua. Nuclear Techniques (in Chinese), 1993; 16(8): 454-459
2 Zhang Jiahua. Proceedings of 9th Pacific Basin nuclear conference, Sydncy, Australia. 1994; 817