Abstract
Alpha-particle emission associated with the decay of has been detected and the energy spectrum investigated. These studies show that (1.3±0.4)% of all decays of lead to the second excited state of and that this state breaks up predominantly into three alpha particles with one alpha particle and the ground state of as an intermediate stage in the process. The most probable spin and parity assignments for the state appear to be , and analysis of the alpha-spectrum yields kev, corresponding to an excitation energy in of 7.653±0.008 Mev. A new determination of the disintegration energy of yields kev and hence kev. It is concluded, from the general principle of reversibility of nuclear reactions, that the second excited state of as predicted by Hoyle is of a suitable character to act as a stellar thermal resonance in the Salpeter process, 2⇌; under conditions expected in red giant stars.
- Received 25 March 1957
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.107.508
©1957 American Physical Society