Discovery of the α-emitting isotope 210Pa

M. M. Zhang; J. G. Wang; L. Ma; Z. G. Gan; Z. Y. Zhang; M. H. Huang; H. B. Yang; C. L. Yang; A. N. Andreyev; C. X. Yuan; Y. L. Tian; Y. S. Wang; J. Y. Wang; Y. H. Qiang; X. L. Wu; S. Y. Xu; Z. Zhao; X. Y. Huang; Z. C. Li; H. Zhou; X. Zhang; G. Xie; L. Zhu; F. Guan; J. H. Zheng; L. C. Sun; Y. J. Li; H. R. Yang; L. M. Duan; Z. W. Lu; W. X. Huang; L. T. Sun; Y. He; H. S. Xu; Y. F. Niu; X. T. He; Z. Z. Ren; S. G. Zhou

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2

Discovery of the α-emitting isotope ²¹⁰Pa

M. M. Zhang, J. G. Wang, L. Ma, Z. G. Gan, Z. Y. Zhang, M. H. Huang, H. B. Yang, C. L. Yang, A. N. Andreyev, C. X. Yuan, Y. L. Tian, Y. S. Wang, J. Y. Wang, Y. H. Qiang, X. L. Wu, S. Y. Xu, Z. Zhao, X. Y. Huang, Z. C. Li, H. ZhouX. Zhang, G. Xie, L. Zhu, F. Guan, J. H. Zheng, L. C. Sun, Y. J. Li, H. R. Yang, L. M. Duan, Z. W. Lu, W. X. Huang, L. T. Sun, Y. He, H. S. Xu, Y. F. Niu, X. T. He, Z. Z. Ren, S. G. Zhou

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Synthesizing isotopes located far away from the line of β-stability is the core research topic in nuclear physics. However, it remains a challenge due to their tiny production cross sections and short half-lives. Here, we report on the observation of a very neutron-deficient isotope 210Pa produced via the fusion-evaporation reaction 175Lu(40Ca, 5n)210Pa at a newly constructed China Accelerator Facility for Superheavy Elements. The measured α-particle energy of Eα = 8284(15) keV and half-life of $${T}_{1/2}=6.{0}_{-1.1}^{+1.5}$$ms of 210Pa allow us to extend the α-decay systematics and test the predictive power of theoretical models for heavy nuclei near the proton drip line. Based on its unhindered α-decay character, the spin and parity of 210Pa is proposed to be (3+), supported by the large-scale shell model and cranked shell model calculations. This isotope is discovered with substantial statics within ∼ 3 days using intensive 2 pμA beam, demonstrating the tremendous capability of the facility for the study of heavy and superheavy nuclei.

Original language	English
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2
Publication status	Published - 29 May 2025

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10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

s41467-025-60047-2
© The Author(s) 2025
Final published version, 989 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Nuclear Physics Consolidated Grant 2024-2027
Jenkins, D. (Principal investigator), Andreyev, A. (Co-investigator), Bashkanov, M. (Co-investigator), Bentley, M. (Co-investigator), Diget, C. A. (Co-investigator), Dobaczewski, J. J. (Co-investigator), Laird, A. M. (Co-investigator), Paschalis, S. (Co-investigator), Petri, M. (Co-investigator), Wadsworth, R. (Co-investigator), Watts, D. (Co-investigator) & Zachariou, N. (Co-investigator)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL (STFC)
1/10/24 → 30/09/27
Project: Research project (funded) › Research

Cite this

Zhang, M. M., Wang, J. G., Ma, L., Gan, Z. G., Zhang, Z. Y., Huang, M. H., Yang, H. B., Yang, C. L., Andreyev, A. N., Yuan, C. X., Tian, Y. L., Wang, Y. S., Wang, J. Y., Qiang, Y. H., Wu, X. L., Xu, S. Y., Zhao, Z., Huang, X. Y., Li, Z. C., ... Zhou, S. G. (2025). Discovery of the α-emitting isotope ²¹⁰Pa. Nature Communications, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2

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title = "Discovery of the α-emitting isotope 210Pa",

abstract = "Synthesizing isotopes located far away from the line of β-stability is the core research topic in nuclear physics. However, it remains a challenge due to their tiny production cross sections and short half-lives. Here, we report on the observation of a very neutron-deficient isotope 210Pa produced via the fusion-evaporation reaction 175Lu(40Ca, 5n)210Pa at a newly constructed China Accelerator Facility for Superheavy Elements. The measured α-particle energy of Eα = 8284(15) keV and half-life of $${T}_{1/2}=6.{0}_{-1.1}^{+1.5}$$ms of 210Pa allow us to extend the α-decay systematics and test the predictive power of theoretical models for heavy nuclei near the proton drip line. Based on its unhindered α-decay character, the spin and parity of 210Pa is proposed to be (3+), supported by the large-scale shell model and cranked shell model calculations. This isotope is discovered with substantial statics within ∼ 3 days using intensive 2 pμA beam, demonstrating the tremendous capability of the facility for the study of heavy and superheavy nuclei.",

author = "Zhang, {M. M.} and Wang, {J. G.} and L. Ma and Gan, {Z. G.} and Zhang, {Z. Y.} and Huang, {M. H.} and Yang, {H. B.} and Yang, {C. L.} and Andreyev, {A. N.} and Yuan, {C. X.} and Tian, {Y. L.} and Wang, {Y. S.} and Wang, {J. Y.} and Qiang, {Y. H.} and Wu, {X. L.} and Xu, {S. Y.} and Z. Zhao and Huang, {X. Y.} and Li, {Z. C.} and H. Zhou and X. Zhang and G. Xie and L. Zhu and F. Guan and Zheng, {J. H.} and Sun, {L. C.} and Li, {Y. J.} and Yang, {H. R.} and Duan, {L. M.} and Lu, {Z. W.} and Huang, {W. X.} and Sun, {L. T.} and Y. He and Xu, {H. S.} and Niu, {Y. F.} and He, {X. T.} and Ren, {Z. Z.} and Zhou, {S. G.}",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2",

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Zhang, MM, Wang, JG, Ma, L, Gan, ZG, Zhang, ZY, Huang, MH, Yang, HB, Yang, CL, Andreyev, AN, Yuan, CX, Tian, YL, Wang, YS, Wang, JY, Qiang, YH, Wu, XL, Xu, SY, Zhao, Z, Huang, XY, Li, ZC, Zhou, H, Zhang, X, Xie, G, Zhu, L, Guan, F, Zheng, JH, Sun, LC, Li, YJ, Yang, HR, Duan, LM, Lu, ZW, Huang, WX, Sun, LT, He, Y, Xu, HS, Niu, YF, He, XT, Ren, ZZ & Zhou, SG 2025, 'Discovery of the α-emitting isotope ²¹⁰Pa', Nature Communications, vol. 16, no. 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2

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T1 - Discovery of the α-emitting isotope 210Pa

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AU - Wang, J. G.

AU - Ma, L.

AU - Gan, Z. G.

AU - Zhang, Z. Y.

AU - Huang, M. H.

AU - Yang, H. B.

AU - Yang, C. L.

AU - Andreyev, A. N.

AU - Yuan, C. X.

AU - Tian, Y. L.

AU - Wang, Y. S.

AU - Wang, J. Y.

AU - Qiang, Y. H.

AU - Wu, X. L.

AU - Xu, S. Y.

AU - Zhao, Z.

AU - Huang, X. Y.

AU - Li, Z. C.

AU - Zhou, H.

AU - Zhang, X.

AU - Xie, G.

AU - Zhu, L.

AU - Guan, F.

AU - Zheng, J. H.

AU - Sun, L. C.

AU - Li, Y. J.

AU - Yang, H. R.

AU - Duan, L. M.

AU - Lu, Z. W.

AU - Huang, W. X.

AU - Sun, L. T.

AU - He, Y.

AU - Xu, H. S.

AU - Niu, Y. F.

AU - He, X. T.

AU - Ren, Z. Z.

AU - Zhou, S. G.

PY - 2025/5/29

Y1 - 2025/5/29

N2 - Synthesizing isotopes located far away from the line of β-stability is the core research topic in nuclear physics. However, it remains a challenge due to their tiny production cross sections and short half-lives. Here, we report on the observation of a very neutron-deficient isotope 210Pa produced via the fusion-evaporation reaction 175Lu(40Ca, 5n)210Pa at a newly constructed China Accelerator Facility for Superheavy Elements. The measured α-particle energy of Eα = 8284(15) keV and half-life of $${T}_{1/2}=6.{0}_{-1.1}^{+1.5}$$ms of 210Pa allow us to extend the α-decay systematics and test the predictive power of theoretical models for heavy nuclei near the proton drip line. Based on its unhindered α-decay character, the spin and parity of 210Pa is proposed to be (3+), supported by the large-scale shell model and cranked shell model calculations. This isotope is discovered with substantial statics within ∼ 3 days using intensive 2 pμA beam, demonstrating the tremendous capability of the facility for the study of heavy and superheavy nuclei.

AB - Synthesizing isotopes located far away from the line of β-stability is the core research topic in nuclear physics. However, it remains a challenge due to their tiny production cross sections and short half-lives. Here, we report on the observation of a very neutron-deficient isotope 210Pa produced via the fusion-evaporation reaction 175Lu(40Ca, 5n)210Pa at a newly constructed China Accelerator Facility for Superheavy Elements. The measured α-particle energy of Eα = 8284(15) keV and half-life of $${T}_{1/2}=6.{0}_{-1.1}^{+1.5}$$ms of 210Pa allow us to extend the α-decay systematics and test the predictive power of theoretical models for heavy nuclei near the proton drip line. Based on its unhindered α-decay character, the spin and parity of 210Pa is proposed to be (3+), supported by the large-scale shell model and cranked shell model calculations. This isotope is discovered with substantial statics within ∼ 3 days using intensive 2 pμA beam, demonstrating the tremendous capability of the facility for the study of heavy and superheavy nuclei.

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-60047-2

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

ER -