Wallner, A., Bichler, M., Buczak, K., Dressler, R., Fifield, L. K., Schumann, D., Sterba, J. H., Tims, S. G., Wallner, G., & Kutschera, W. (2015). Settling the Half-Life of 60Fe: Fundamental for a Versatile Astrophysical Chronometer. Physical Review Letters, 114(041101). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.114.041101
E141-05 - Forschungsbereich Radiation Physics E141-02 - Forschungsbereich Atom Physics and Quantum Optics
-
Journal:
Physical Review Letters
-
ISSN:
0031-9007
-
Date (published):
2015
-
Number of Pages:
6
-
Publisher:
APS
-
Peer reviewed:
Yes
-
Keywords:
General Physics and Astronomy
-
Abstract:
In order to resolve a recent discrepancy in the half-life of 60Fe, we performed an independent measurement with a new method that determines the 60Fe content of a material relative to 55Fe(t1/2 = 2.744 yr) with accelerator mass spectrometry. Our result of (2.50 +/- 0.12) × 106 yr clearly favors the recently reported value (2.62 +/- 0.04) × 106 yr, and rules out the older result of (1.49 +/- 0.27) × 106 yr. The present weighted mean half-life value of (2.60 +/- 0.05) × 106 yr substantially improves the reliability as an important chronometer for astrophysical applications in the million-year time range. This includes its use as a sensitive probe for studying recent chemical evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of the early Solar System, nucleosynthesis processes in massive stars, and as an indicator of a recent nearby supernova.
