In the vast universe of scientific exploration, every breakthrough is like the shining of stars, illuminating our way forward. On February 19, the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) received exciting news that researchers from the Institute and its partners had successfully synthesized new nuclides osmium-160 and tungsten-156 for the first time. This major achievement not only reveals the mystery of the atomic nucleus, but also demonstrates the outstanding strength of the Chinese scientific research team.
The nucleus, a mysterious world of protons and neutrons, holds countless uncharted frontiers waiting to be explored. Different numbers of protons and neutrons make up the nucleus of an atom with different properties, which scientists call nuclides. The study of new nuclides not only helps us understand the basic structure of matter, but also provides valuable information for understanding the evolution of the celestial environment.
Relying on the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Accelerator, the research team synthesized the two new nuclides by fusion evaporation using an advanced gas-filled recoil nuclear spectrometer SHANS. Osmium-160 is radioactive, while tungsten-156 is radioactive in +decay. The team conducted an in-depth study of the properties of these new nuclides, measuring key parameters such as their half-lives.
Through systematic analysis of new measurements and existing data, the researchers found that when the atomic number is greater than 68, the probability of particle preformation of the same neutron element gradually decreases. This discovery reveals the phenomenon that the shell effect with a neutron number of 82 is enhanced in neutron-deficient nuclides. This discovery not only enriches our understanding of the structure of the atomic nucleus, but also provides a new direction for future nuclear physics research.
This study not only gives the evolution of neutron shells with neutron number 82 on the neutron-deficient side for the first time, but also brings China's new nuclide research into a new nuclear region. This achievement was published in the internationally renowned academic journal Physical Review Letters, and was reported by the American Physical Society's Journal of Physics**, fully demonstrating the influence of the Chinese scientific research team on the international stage.
The successful synthesis of the new nuclides osmium-160 and tungsten-156 is an important breakthrough made by the Chinese research team in the field of nuclear physics. This achievement not only reveals the mystery of the atomic nucleus, but also provides important information for our understanding of the evolution of the celestial environment. In the future, we look forward to more breakthroughs in the field of nuclear physics and greater contributions to the cause of human scientific exploration. Let's look forward to this day together!
The text is derived from "Wenxin Yiyan"].