Re: Am-Be source

[mcnaught@lanl.gov (Mike McNaughton)]

Ninni Jacobs wrote:

>Carbon-12 does not emit a gamma, unless you mean the excited state of
>Carbon-13.
>But I dont think there is a gamma ray associated with that reaction.
>I think the 4.4 MeV is divided between the neutron and the recoil nucleus.
>(see Page 123 and 124 of Cember).

The alpha + beryllium reaction leaves the carbon-12 nucleus in the 2+
excited state. The 2+ excited state of carbon is 4.44 MeV above the ground
state of carbon-12 (for example, see the Table of the Isotopes, published
by Wiley). This excited state of carbon-12 converts to the ground state of
carbon-12 by emitting a 4.44-MeV gamma. Thus, all 9Be(alpha,n) sources
(PuBe, AmBe, RaBe, etc.) are accompanied by 4.44 MeV gammas.

"Shlala gashle" (Zulu greeting, meaning "Stay safe")
mike (mcnaught@LANL.GOV)