eklhad@ihnet.UUCP (K. A. Dahlke) (09/23/85)
<> I was thinking about radioactivity, for no particular reason, and I was wondering if the temperature has any affect on the half life of an isotope. I am no expert in *any* branch of physics, but this doesn't keep me from forming hypotheses. It seems that temperature affects the interatomic collisions etc, and would not affect the "temperature" of the individual nuclei (whatever that may mean). I would guess temperature has little or no affect on radioactive decay rates. Does anyone have any theoretical or experimental results to pass along. But let's not stop there. What about: an electric field, a magnetic field, an electromagnetic field (something that produces nuclear vibrations, not just electron transitions), etc. The question is not completely without practical applications. If there were a way to substantially reduce the half life of certain isotopes, it might simplify the nuclear reactor waste problem. All right, so I'm dreaming again. Is there anything that affects radioactive decay rates? -- This .signature file intentionally left blank. Karl Dahlke ihnp4!ihnet!eklhad
clyde@reed.UUCP (Clyde Bryja) (10/03/85)
> Is there anything that affects radioactive decay rates? > -- > Karl Dahlke Other than placing nuclei into relativistic situations (ie. great gravitational fields, near light speed velocities, etc.) I know of only one way of changing half-lives at all. I greatly doubt that there are any others, but I could simply be ignorant of such. What I have in mind affects only one type of decay-- electron capture (or EC). The priciple of EC is that an electron from an inner orbital is captured by the nucleus. It then merges with one of the protons to form a neutron (thereby changing the atomic number of the atom). I know that this process can be affected by the chemical environment. For example, if the atom in question combined chemically with fluorine (very electron-hungry stuff), the electrons in the atom would (in a sense) be pulled somewhat away from the nucleus by the fluorine atom(s). I believe that a change in the half-life of about 5% or so has been observed in such cases. That may not be much, but it is interesting to consider. -- +++++++++++ "For Easter Day is Christmas time, Clyde Bryja And far away is near, Box 21, Reed College And two and two is more than four, Portland, OR 97202 And over there is here."