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Tracking Radioactive Isotopes in HVAC and Application for Hot Cell Analyses - 20155

In recent years, the surge in the number of isotope production facilities under design has increased the need to analyze isotope migration in facility Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) during normal operations and accident scenarios. These facilities are used to produce isotopes for medical, security, and industrial applications and as such are subject to license and regulatory requirements 10CFR20, 10CFR30, 10CFR50, and 10CFR70. GOTHIC, a general-purpose thermal-hydraulics software package, includes the ability to model isotopic tracers, radioactive decay and isotope migration as well as HEPA and charcoal filters for isotope retention. A GOTHIC model was developed by Zachry Nuclear Engineering (ZNE) to examine the effect of negative room pressure, HEPA filtration, and HVAC fluctuations on radiation areas, hot cells and gloveboxes. Radioactive tracers were used to simulate the concentration of spills within contaminated areas, track the migration of isotopes of interest, and determine the isotopic retention and buildup on facility HEPA filters. A variety of isotopes with concern to dose (e.g., Kr-85, Sr-90, I-131, etc.), including their decay and progeny, are included in the analysis. Negative pressures are maintained in the regions of interest by a representative central HVAC system equipped with a volumetric fan that exhausts to the environment after a series of isolation valves and HEPA filters. GOTHIC is an industry trusted tool for providing engineering solutions for a variety of applications, including fission product tracking, aerosol and particulate transport and ventilation assessments. The software provides an integrated analysis environment that includes a graphical user interface (GUI) for constructing analysis models, a numerical solver that includes parallel processing capabilities and a post-processor for evaluating simulation results. It solves the conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy for multicomponent, multi-phase flow in lumped parameter and multi-dimensional geometries (1, 2, or full 3D), including the effects of turbulence, diffusion and buoyancy. It has been developed and maintained under a Quality Assurance program in compliance with the requirements of 10CFR50 Appendix B and applicable portions of ASME NQA-1 since 1995. GOTHIC has been used for assessing both forced and natural convection conditions for a wide range of applications, including: - Tracking concentration of hazardous gases and chemicals for habitability and safety assessments - Determining ventilation and filtration requirements and optimizing location and arrangement of these systems - Room heat-up, including diverse and Flexible coping strategies for Extended Loss of AC Power (FLEX/ELAP) - Equipment Qualification (EQ) A distinctive feature of GOTHIC is the ability to track many different fields/substances in a simulation, including user defined tracer elements, in the liquid, vapor and droplet fields as well as surfaces and filters. This capability allows GOTHIC to model fission product transport and release or the removal of particulates or harmful toxins from exhaust gases using a spray scrubber or other types of filtration systems. GOTHIC also includes models for engineered equipment, such as fans, filters, charcoal filters, dryers/demisters, dampers, etc. The aerosols and other filtered material are removed or accumulated in these components. The range of aerosol and radiological applications that GOTHIC has been used for includes: - Source Term: Primary Coolant (Equilibrium) Activity; Non-Water Coolant Source/Leakage. - Conditions for Iodine Re-evolution: Sump/Suppression Pool Conditions and pH; - RWST Conditions and pH. - Isotope Removal Mechanisms: Containment Sprayed and Unsprayed Region Mixing; Charcoal Filter Heating due to Iodine decay. - Radionuclide Transport and Decay: Post-LOCA Release in containment; Transport between connected Compartments and vent systems; Groundwater transport of radionuclides. - Non-Newtonian Fluid modeling for sludge, waste tanks, etc. ADAMS ML071581053 (titled 'Best Practice Guidelines for the use of CFD in Nuclear Reactor Safety Applications') poses guidelines for applying single phase CFD codes in nuclear reactor safety problems and GOTHIC is listed as a 'tool for 3D flows' and 'dispersal and deposition of radionuclides.' The Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA) pedigree of GOTHIC is an important aspect for applications in the nuclear industry. The fundamental tracer models (convective transport, molecular and turbulent diffusion, removal mechanisms, etc.) have been verified using analytical solutions and validated against applicable separate effects tests. Also, GOTHIC has been benchmarked to many integrated effects tests, including Phebus FP (Fission Product). GOTHIC gives good agreement for the buildup and decay of fission products in Phebus Test 3. The model developed by ZNE demonstrates GOTHIC's applicability and acceptability for use in analyzing the migration and retention of radioactive isotopes and their progeny in normal operation and accident scenario analyses for isotope production facilities, hot cells, and gloveboxes. The tracer activities calculated by GOTHIC can then be used in downstream radiation transport and shielding codes like RADTRAD-NAI{sup C}, MCNP{sup R}, and MicroShield{sup R} to determine on-site and of-site doses. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Modeling of Lead-210 Data Documents Benefits in Proactively Understanding TENORM Deposition - 18515

Radioactive decay of naturally occurring Radon-222 present in just-produced natural gas can lead to deposition of its radiogenic daughter, Lead-210, and subsequent radiogenic progeny within natural gas handling, treatment, and distribution facilities. Worker safety issues and disposal challenges arise when these accumulate to radiologically problematic activity levels. This is due to the 22.3-year half-life of Lead-210, allowing for multi-decade period of accumulation to occur and to persist, even after facility operations have ceased. Due to the far shorter half-lives of Lead-210 radiogenic progeny, especially that of Polonium-210, secular equilibrium within the Lead-210-Bismuth-210-Polonium-210 decay chain is quickly approached during facility operations and achieved after facility operations end. Lead-210 that accumulates in pipe scale can complicate any subsequent intrusive facility modifications, such as disassembly and dismantlement, potentially exposing workers to adverse radioactivity and impeding recycling and/or disposal of radiologically impacted equipment or other material. Experience has shown it is not strictly the presence of Lead-210 that is problematic but rather its 'unexpected' presence when this Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) is discovered during intrusive work not incorporating radiological health and safety and material handling plans. Conversely, when implementing a program that proactively considers the potential for Lead-210, this form of TENORM simply becomes another 'special waste' that can be safely, efficiently, and effectively addressed during a decommissioning effort, without associated adverse worker exposures, project cost over-runs, and schedule delays. This paper will discuss how proactive radioactive scanning quickly and safely identified Lead-210 and its radiogenic progeny within a natural gas sweetening and compressor station located in northern Montana, a portion of which was undergoing decommissioning, aiding in safe and compliant material handling and recycling. The location of this operation necessitated that the decommissioning program be completed on schedule to prevent weather-related impacts due to the onset of adverse winter conditions. Further, the radioactive data acquired during this project will be shown to provide important insight into historic behavior of Lead-210 in terms of its disposition and its more recent decay. From these data, it became possible to back-model the average activity of Radon-222 within the natural gas being processed during the life of the operation, how the estimated Radon-222 activity within the processed natural gas conformed to measured Radon-222 at various other natural gas fields, and how this information can be leveraged in developing safe and successful plans for future intrusive work at this and companion site operations. This presentation will also note the apparent preferential accumulation of Lead-210 within both rubber-based materials, such as gaskets and seals, and grease-based products found within natural gas flow lines. Thoughts regarding processes that may lead to this finding will be explored. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Nuclear Structure and Decay Data for A=169 Isobars

Experimental data pertaining to all nuclei with mass number A=169 (Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt) have been evaluated. Level schemes from both radioactive decay and reaction studies are presented, along with associated tables of experimental data and adopted properties for levels and γ rays. The present evaluation for A=169 supersedes the 2008 evaluation, 2008Ba31, by C.M. Baglin. A few highlights of this evaluation: More extensive work on ε decay from 169W is needed and new experimental work will be required to resolve a discrepancy between the J π values deduced for a 180-keV level in 169Ta based on extensive band structure from (HI,xnγ) work (J π =1/2−) and TDPAD measurements (J=5/2). Low lying states of 169Os were studied via fine structure of 173Pt α decay in 2014ThZZ. The Eαs feeding the g.s. of 169Os in 2008Ba31 are separated well into two consistent groups to feed the g.s. and the newly proposed state at 34.84 keV. Based on the studies of 2014ThZZ and 2021Zh52, the g.s. spin-parity assignment of 169Os has been proposed to be (7/2−) from (5/2−). The 169Ir g.s. half-life and alpha emission branching reported in 2012Th13 from 173Au α decay measurements are preferred over the values in 2005Sc22. The reported half-life value in 2005Sc22 for 169Ir g.s. is discrepant and the research work was carried out in the same lab of 2012Th13.

Basunia, M Shamsuzzoha↗

Source characterization of a detector for heavy and superheavy nuclei

A new focal plane detector system for the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator (BGS) was designed, constructed, and tested offline with various α-decay and conversion-electron sources. The SuperHeavy RECoils (SHREC) detector comprises sets of double-sided silicon strip detectors arranged in an open-faced cuboid geometry. Alongside the detector upgrade new digital data acquisition electronics have been commissioned offline. This setup aims to detect separated recoiling heavy and superheavy nuclei as well as their correlated radioactive decay paths with improved energy resolution and overall sensitivity.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Approaches for Communicating Technical Information - 16012

Projects within the nuclear industry are generally complex and associated with high hazards. To achieve success there is often a necessity to apply innovation or adopt longer term strategies and solutions. Because of these long timescales and the fact that some approaches revolve around allowing natural radioactive decay to take place prior to visible action, the industry is sometimes perceived to be technically unable to make progress with its environmental and waste management obligations. Work within the industry additionally takes on a high profile and invariably creates greater levels of anxiety and mistrust in the eyes of stakeholders than comparable projects from non-nuclear related industries. Many aspects of the industry are still seen as secretive, environmentally detrimental and 'risky' and all components of the nuclear life-cycle are therefore open to external scrutiny. Although communication and engagement has increased greatly over the years, especially in developed countries, there is still room for improvement in this field. Such improvement might relate to the frequency and level of engagement, the subject matter or the actual process itself. Communication with stakeholders is required throughout the various phases of the nuclear lifecycle whether the activity relates to mining/milling of uranium, fuel production, operational plant activities, decommissioning, remediation or waste management. The concerns and aspirations of stakeholders during these different activities will vary but need to be adequately addressed. Some organisations now have a basic engagement program and convince themselves that they are carrying out true engagement. But just ticking a box to say that an engagement program is in place does not provide evidence of its appropriateness or success as on many occasions' organisations might still not understand how to adequately engage and communicate technical information. It is not always the information we choose to communicate but that which might be withheld that is often perceived to be most relevant to the stakeholder community. Communicating technical information isn't as straightforward as it sounds, but still has to be undertaken, otherwise trust, understanding and acceptance of chosen options will not be achieved. I utilise what I call the 'ten principles of engagement' which I believe can help when communicating technical Information in relation to nuclear and radiological matters. These are; 1. Develop Trust. 2. Educating people and providing information in a transparent manner. 3. Develop an engagement process that is truly a two way process. 4. Openly discuss risk perception and risk communication. 5. Never try to trivialise risk. 6. Where possible, simplify the language you use. 7. Put background and naturally occurring radioactivity into context. 8. Explain how radioactive materials are often used in everyday life. 9. Try to demonstrate that you too are a member of the public. 10.Walk the talk - Try to undertake what you wish others to undertake. Further research is being undertaken to determine if Mental Models might assist with the communication of nuclear and radiological information. A mental model is an explanation of someone's thought process about how something works in the real world. The mental model approach aims to investigate the judgment and decision-making processes of both expert and lay groups, thus allowing a comparison and visualisation of the different views to be made. It is undoubtedly worthwhile keeping a watching brief on the outcome of such research as we strive to improve our communication with the general public. The aim of this paper is to highlight some simple principles and approaches that can assist with the communication of technical information. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Management of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Fission Products in Used Pyroprocessing Salt

Pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) involves dissolving metallic fuel into a molten salt electrolyte (typically eutectic LiCl-KCl) and then preferentially depositing actinides onto inert cathodes. Subsequent operations include drawdown of residual actinides and lanthanides from the electrolyte prior to re-using the salt. The recovered actinides are recycled and the recovered lanthanides are disposed as waste. Alkali and alkaline earth metal fission products in the fuel, such as Cs, Sr and Ba, dissolve into the salt during electrorefining. The concentrations of these elements buildup over time in the molten salt electrolyte, which may change the freezing point. The radioactive decay of 137 Cs and 90 Sr (half life 30 and 29 years) generates significant heat and produces strong ionizing radiation fields (β and γ). The increasing heat load and radioactivity as these elements build up in the molten salt requires frequent replacement and disposal of the electrolyte salt. Alternatively, the salt can be treated to remove these and other elements and then recycled to the electrorefiner. An effective strategy to manage these alkali and alkaline earth metal fission products in the molten salt electrolyte would increase the efficiency of pyroprocessing and decrease the volume of salt waste requiring disposal. Alkali and alkaline earth metal fission products are extremely stable in molten salt as chlorides--even more stable than the LiCl-KCl eutectic base salt--making them challenging to remove. They are not removed during drawdown operations to recover residual actinides and lanthanides and a separate operation is required to sufficiently purify the salt for reuse. This work is focused on selecting a method for separating Cs, Sr and Ba from the salt recovered from the lanthanide drawdown operation prior to recycling the cleaned salt back to the electrorefiner. Not addressed in this work is the management of the waste stream produced by the separation. This report summarizes the issues to be addressed when developing removal strategies for cesium, strontium, and barium and reviews existing methods to identify suitable methods and any technological gaps in their application.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

A lanthanide-rich kilonova in the aftermath of a long gamma-ray burst

Observationally, kilonovae are astrophysical transients powered by the radioactive decay of nuclei heavier than iron, thought to be synthesized in the merger of two compact objects. Over the first few days, the kilonova evolution is dominated by a large number of radioactive isotopes contributing to the heating rate. On timescales of weeks to months, its behaviour is predicted to differ depending on the ejecta composition and the merger remnant. Previous work has shown that the kilonova associated with gamma-ray burst 230307A is similar to kilonova AT2017gfo, and mid-infrared spectra revealed an emission line at 2.15 micrometres that was attributed to tellurium. Here, in this study, we report a multi-wavelength analysis, including publicly available James Webb Space Telescope data and our own Hubble Space Telescope data, for the same gamma-ray burst. We model its evolution up to two months after the burst and show that, at these late times, the recession of the photospheric radius and the rapidly decaying bolometric luminosity (L bol ∝ t −2.7±0.4 , where t is time) support the recombination of lanthanide-rich ejecta as they cool.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Measurements of Extinct Radionuclides in Filter Paper Samples

Radiochemical diagnostics rely on measurements of short-lived fission product isotopes. Once months to years have passed since isotope formation, the most useful short-lived signatures have decayed away and become extinct. Recent work at our lab has developed new methods to reconstruct the concentrations of extinct radionuclides using mass spectrometry to measure the stable daughter elements formed from radioactive decay. However, the applicability of these techniques to different types of samples has not been fully investigated.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Tritium Aging Effects on Fracture Toughness of Stainless Steel Weldments

The long-term embrittlement effects of tritium and decay helium on the structural properties of stainless steels have been studied for years at Savannah River to provide required data for establishing safe operating conditions and lifetimes of pressure vessels used to contain tritium gas. In this study, the fracture toughness properties of the longest-aged tritium-precharged stainless-steel base metals and weldments tested at Savannah River were measured and compared to earlier results. The fracture toughness values were the lowest recorded here for tritium-exposed stainless steel. As-forged and as-welded specimens were thermally precharging with tritium gas at 34.5 MPa and 623 K, then aged for up to 17 years to buildin decay helium prior to testing. ASTM J-Integral fracture mechanics analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) examinations were conducted to characterize the effects of tritium and its radioactive decay product, helium-3. Results show that the fracture toughness values were reduced to less than 2-4% of the as-forged values for specimens with more than 1300 appm helium from tritium decay. The trend of decreasing fracture toughness values with increasing helium content was consistent with earlier observations, and the data show that Type 304L stainless steel is more resistant to tritium-induced cracking than Type 21-6-9 stainless at similar decay helium levels. The fracture toughness properties of long-aged weldments were also affected, but the reductions were not as severe over time because weldments did not retain as much tritium as did the base metals. TEM observations were used to characterize the effects of decay helium bubbles on the deformation substructures, but nanometer-sized helium bubbles were not easily resolved because of high dislocation densities within the forged microstructures. SANS results are presented that suggest the technique can provide information on decay helium bubble size, spacing, and distribution in these steels.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Subsurface cosmogenic and radiogenic production of 42 Ar

Radioactive decays from 42 Ar and its progeny 42 K are potential background sources in large-scale liquid-argon-based neutrino and dark matter experiments. In the atmosphere, 42 Ar is produced primarily by cosmogenic activation on 40 Ar. The use of low radioactivity argon from cosmogenically shielded underground sources can expand the reach and sensitivity of liquid-argon-based rare event searches. We estimate 42 Ar production underground by nuclear reactions induced by natural radioactivity and cosmic-ray muon-induced interactions. At 3,000 mwe, 42 Ar production rate is 1.8×10 -3 atoms per ton of crust per year, 7 orders of magnitude smaller than the 39 Ar production rate at a similar depth in the crust. In conclusion, by comparing the calculated production rate of 42 Ar to that of 39 Ar for which the concentration has been measured in an underground gas sample, we estimate the activity of 42 Ar in gas extracted from 3,000 mwe depth to be less than two decays per ton of argon per year.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

The whisper of a whimper of a bang: 2400 d of the Type Ia SN 2011fe reveals the decay of 55Fe

ABSTRACT We analyse new multifilter Hubble Space Telescope (HST) photometry of the normal Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2011fe out to ≈2400 d after maximum light, the latest observations to date of a SN Ia. We model the pseudo-bolometric light curve with a simple radioactive decay model and find energy input from both 57Co and 55Fe are needed to power the late-time luminosity. This is the first detection of 55Fe in a SN Ia. We consider potential sources of contamination such as a surviving companion star or delaying the deposition time-scale for 56Co positrons but these scenarios are ultimately disfavored. The relative isotopic abundances place direct constraints on the burning conditions experienced by the white dwarf (WD). Additionally, we place a conservative upper limit of <10−3 M⊙ on the synthesized mass of 44Ti. Only two classes of explosion models are currently consistent with all observations of SN 2011fe: (1) the delayed detonation of a low-ρc, near-MCh (1.2–1.3 M⊙) WD, or (2) a sub-MCh (1.0–1.1 M⊙) WD experiencing a thin-shell double detonation.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

2017 Status report-Tritium aging studies on stainless steel: Effect of hydrogen, tritium and decay helium on the fracture-toughness properties of stem, cup and block forgings

The materials of construction of tritium reservoirs are forged stainless steels. During service, the structural properties of the stainless steel change over time because of the diffusion of tritium into the reservoir wall and its radioactive decay to helium-3. This aging effect can cause cracks to initiate and grow which could result in a tritium leak or delayed failure of a tritium reservoir. Numerous factors affect the tendency for crack formation and propagation and are being investigated in this program. The goal of the research is to provide relevant fracture mechanics data that can be used by the design agencies in their assessments of tritium reservoir structural integrity. In this status report, new experimental results are presented on the effects of tritium and decay helium on the cracking properties of specimens taken from actual tritium reservoir forgings instead of the experimental forgings of past programs. The properties measured are more representative of actual reservoir properties because the microstructure of the specimens tested are more like that of the actual tritium reservoirs. The program was designed to measure the effects of material variables on tritium compatibility and includes two stainless steels (Type 304L and 316L stainless steel), multiple yield strengths (360-500 MPa), and multiple forging shapes (Stem, Cup, and Block).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The Influence of β-decay Rates on r-process Observables

Abstract The rapid neutron capture process ( r -process) is one of the main mechanisms whereby elements heavier than iron are synthesized, and is entirely responsible for the natural production of the actinides. Kilonova emissions are modeled as being largely powered by the radioactive decay of species synthesized via the r -process. Given that the r -process occurs far from nuclear stability, unmeasured beta-decay rates play an essential role in setting the timescale for the r -process. In an effort to better understand the sensitivity of kilonova modeling to different theoretical global beta-decay descriptions, we incorporate these into nucleosynthesis calculations. We compare the results of these calculations and highlight differences in kilonova nuclear energy generation and light-curve predictions, as well as final abundances and their implications for nuclear cosmochronometry. We investigate scenarios where differences in beta-decay rates are responsible for increased nuclear heating on timescales of days that propagates into a significantly increased average bolometric luminosity between 1 and 10 days post-merger. We identify key nuclei, both measured and unmeasured, whose decay rates directly impact nuclear heating generation on timescales responsible for light-curve evolution. We also find that uncertainties in beta-decay rates significantly impact age estimates from cosmochronometry.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Effects of He-Ion Radiation on Solid-State Uranyl Nitrate Compounds under Dry and Hydrated Atmospheric Conditions

Radioactive decay of uranium (U) and its related daughter/fission products emit ionizing radiation, including γ (γ) rays and α (α) particles, that result in the formation of radical species and induce chemical reactivity in materials. While radioactivity is inherent to the chemistry of U there are limited studies that detail changes at an atomistic level. Here, this work describes the He-ion radiolysis of four solid-state U(VI) species: [UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ]·3(H 2 O) and M[UO 2 (NO 3 ) 3 ] (M = K + , Rb + , Cs + ). These materials were irradiated under different conditions (i.e. closed, open – Ar gas, or open – H 2 O-saturated Ar gas) to further evaluate the impact of water radiolysis on the chemical modification of these materials. Pre- and post-irradiation analyses were conducted using EPR, Raman, and ATR-IR spectroscopy on materials irradiated to 0, 5, 10, and 25 MGy. The results indicated the presence of nitrate radical (NO 3 • ) formation in all solid-state materials with similarities to those observed in γ-radiation studies. Irradiation of [UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ]·3(H 2 O) did not show evidence of reactive oxygen species bound to the U(VI) cation under inert conditions; however, surface reactivity was observed for samples irradiated in the H 2 O-saturated environment. Similar chemical changes were observed in the uranyl trinitrato compounds irradiated in the presence of H 2 O vapor and there were observed differences in the reactivity depending on the identity of the alkali cation.

38 - RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCL↗

Direct WIMP detection rates for transitions in isomeric nuclei

The direct detection of dark matter constituents, in particular the weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), is central to particle physics and cosmology. In this paper we study WIMP induced transitions from isomeric nuclear states for two possible isomeric candidates: 180 Ta and 166 Ho. The experimental setup, which can measure the possible decay of 180 Ta induced by WIMPs, was proposed. The corresponding estimates of the half-life of 180 Ta are given in the sense that the WIMP-nucleon interaction can be interpreted as ordinary radioactive decay.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Nuclear Data Sheets for A=105☆

This work presents new evaluation of A=105 nuclear structure and decay data. It covers a range of nuclei from the very neutron-rich {sup 105}{sub 38}Sr to the extremely neutron-deficient {sup 105}{sub 52}Te, known also to be the doughter of the lightest alpha decaying nucleus {sup 109}I. The work is based on experimental studies performed in the last 73 years, where A=105 nuclei were produced in particle transfer, fusion/evaporation reactions, sponataneus and induced fission, fusion and fragmentation of relativistic beams, radioactive decay etc.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclear Structure and Decay Data for A=31 Isobars

Here, experimental nuclear spectroscopic data are evaluated for 11 known nuclides of mass 31 (F, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, K). Detailed evaluated information is presented for each reaction and decay experiment. Combining all the available data, recommended values are provided for energies, spins and parities, and half-lives of levels, with energies, branching ratios and multipolarities of γ radiations, and characteristics of β and α radiations in radioactive decays. 31 P is the most extensively studied one among all nuclides via various reactions and decays, followed by 31 S, 31 Si, 31 Mg and 31 Al. Information for excited states in 31 Ne, 31 Na, 31 Cl, 31 Ar and 31 K are limited; no excited states have yet been identified in 31 F, even its ground-state half-life is unknown. Significant new data have become available for the structure of 31 S, with its relevance to astrophysical applications. This work supersedes the earlier evaluation of A=31 by 2013Ou01, with literature cutoff date of Feb 15, 2013.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclear Structure and Decay Data for A=167 Isobars

Experimental nuclear spectroscopic data are compiled and evaluated for 17 known nuclides of mass 167 (Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt), 23 years after the previous full evaluation by 2000Ba65. Detailed information is presented for each reaction and decay experiment. Combining all the available data, recommended values are provided for energies, spins and parities, and half-lives of levels, with energies, branching ratios and multipolarities of γ radiations, and characteristics of β and α radiations in radioactive decays. Here, the α decays of A=171 nuclei to A=167 daughters are included in this work, while for α decays of A=167 nuclei to A=163 daughters, consult Nuclear Data Sheets (2010Re03) or the ENSDF database for A=163. 167 Er, 167 Tm, 167 Yb, 167 Lu and 167 Ta are among the most extensively studied nuclides via decay and high-spin gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements, followed by 167 Ho, 167 Hf, 167 W, and 167 Os. Information for excited states in 167 Dy, 167 Re, and 167 Ir are limited; no excited states have yet been identified in 167 Sm, 167 Eu, 167 Gd, 167 Tb and 167 Pt, with the ground-state half-life of 167 Sm remaining unknown. This work supersedes the earlier evaluation of A=167 nuclei by 2000Ba65.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗