Manipal (TOI): Researchers from Manipal Centre of Natural Sciences (MCNS) at Manipal University in collaboration with GSI-Giessen, Germany have discovered four new atomic nuclei to be added to the chart of the nuclides. The study focuses on developing new methods of synthesis for super heavy elements. The newly discovered, exotic nuclei are one isotope each of heavy elements berkelium and neptunium and two isotopes of the element americium.
H M Devaraja, a PhD student at MCNS, participated in experimental work along with an international team of researchers at GSI Helmholtzzentrumfur Schwerionenforschung. Other participants included scientists from Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA and the joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia. The results are published in Physics Letters B.
Apart from discoveries themselves, first proof of the new technique for production of these exotic nuclides will pave way for a new generation of exciting experiments at the frontiers of experimental physics. It is a proud moment indeed for the team and the collaboration. I expect that continuing investigations will uncover many more surprises as our team explores previously unknown areas and extends the chart of the nuclides, Dr Bhat said.
Gottfried Munzenberg who initiated the Giessen-GSI-Manipal collaboration together with Mohini Gupta expressing happiness at the discoveries, said "Synthesis of new isotopes in nuclear transfer reactions is milestone in search for new methods for SHE synthesis, the principal research goal of our collaboration". Mohini Gupta, director, MCNS said, "Now that we know this method is viable, interpretation and prediction is two other important aspects of the discovery."
Newly discovered isotopes have fewer neutrons and are lighter than previously known isotopes of the respective elements. To date, the known Periodic Table comprises over 3,000 isotopes of 114 chemical elements. According to scientific estimates, more than 4,000 additional, undiscovered isotopes should also exist. "By using this method, we have succeeded in generating many different atomic nuclei at once," says Dr Sophia Heinz who headed the experiment at GSI.
