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Abundance of live 244Pu in deep-sea reservoirs on Earth points to rarity of actinide nucleosynthesis

Author

Listed:
  • A. Wallner

    (Australian National University
    VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • T. Faestermann

    (Technische Universität München)

  • J. Feige

    (VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • C. Feldstein

    (Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University)

  • K. Knie

    (Technische Universität München
    GSI Helmholtz-Zentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

  • G. Korschinek

    (Technische Universität München)

  • W. Kutschera

    (VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • A. Ofan

    (Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University)

  • M. Paul

    (Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University)

  • F. Quinto

    (VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
    Present address: Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany)

  • G. Rugel

    (Technische Universität München
    Present address: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Halsbruecker Strasse 34, 09599 Freiberg, Germany)

  • P. Steier

    (VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

Half of the heavy elements including all actinides are produced in r-process nucleosynthesis, whose sites and history remain a mystery. If continuously produced, the Interstellar Medium is expected to build-up a quasi-steady state of abundances of short-lived nuclides (with half-lives ≤100 My), including actinides produced in r-process nucleosynthesis. Their existence in today’s interstellar medium would serve as a radioactive clock and would establish that their production was recent. In particular 244Pu, a radioactive actinide nuclide (half-life=81 My), can place strong constraints on recent r-process frequency and production yield. Here we report the detection of live interstellar 244Pu, archived in Earth’s deep-sea floor during the last 25 My, at abundances lower than expected from continuous production in the Galaxy by about 2 orders of magnitude. This large discrepancy may signal a rarity of actinide r-process nucleosynthesis sites, compatible with neutron-star mergers or with a small subset of actinide-producing supernovae.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Wallner & T. Faestermann & J. Feige & C. Feldstein & K. Knie & G. Korschinek & W. Kutschera & A. Ofan & M. Paul & F. Quinto & G. Rugel & P. Steier, 2015. "Abundance of live 244Pu in deep-sea reservoirs on Earth points to rarity of actinide nucleosynthesis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms6956
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6956
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