Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gq7q9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T10:37:12.506Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Macs: An Accelerator-Based Radioisotope Measuring System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Kenneth H Purser
Affiliation:
General Ionex Corporation, 19 Graf Road, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950
Reuel B Liebert
Affiliation:
General Ionex Corporation, 19 Graf Road, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950
Carl J Russo
Affiliation:
General Ionex Corporation, 19 Graf Road, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A description is given of an accelerator-based radioisotope measuring system, being supplied to the Universities of Arizona and Toronto and in part to the University of Oxford. This system will be capable of measuring 14C/12C and 13C/12C ratios in milligram samples of cracked acetylene. At present 200µg of carbon obtained from cracked acetylene appears to be adequate for an isotopic ratio determination. Previous performance and new calculations indicate that a precision better than 1 percent will be achieved in a half-hour period only limited by counting statistics. A precision of 0.2 percent will be obtained in a ten-hour period. Using a carbon sample with an age greater than 60,000 years, the measured background 14C/12C ratio will be less than 0.07 percent of modern.

Type
Accelerator Techniques
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science

References

Bennett, C L Beukens, R P, Clover, M R, Elmore, D, Gove, H E, Kilius, L R Litherland, A E and Purser, K H, 1978 Results from radiocarbon dating of several established samples: Science, v 201, p 345347.Google Scholar
Bennett, C L Beukens, R P, Clover, M R, Gove, H E, Liebert, R B, Litherland, A E, Purser, K H, and Sondheim, W, 1977, Radiocarbon dating using accelerators; negative ions provide the key: Science, v 198, p 50851010.1126/science.198.4316.508Google Scholar
Brand, K, 1977a, Performance of HICONEX sputter source: Nuclear Instruments and Methods, v 141, p 519520.Google Scholar
Brand, K 1977b, A reflected geometry for a sputter source: Rev Phys Appl, v 12, p 1453.10.1051/rphysap:0197700120100145300Google Scholar
Cleland, M R, 1959: US Patent 2,875,394.Google Scholar
Elmore, D, Fulton, B R, Clover, M R, Marsden, J R, Gove, H E, Naylor, H, Purser, K H, Kilius, L R, Beukens, R P, and Litherland, A E, 1979, Analysis of 36Cl in environmental water samples using an electrostatic accelerator: Nature, v 277, p 2226.Google Scholar
Holt, J R and Litherland, A E, 1954, A range method for Z-identifying of charged particles: Rev Sci Instrument, v 25, p 450.Google Scholar
Muller, R, 1977, Radioisotope dating with a cyclotron: Science, v 196, p 489494.Google Scholar
Nelson, E, Korteling, R G, and Scott, W R, 1977, Radiocarbon measurements using the McMaster Tandem accelerator: Science, v 198, p 506508.Google Scholar
Northcliffe, L C and Schilling, R G, 1979: Nuclear data tables, A7, p 233 (1970).Google Scholar
Purser, K H, 1977: US Patent 4,037,100.Google Scholar
Purser, K H, Liebert, R B, Litherland, A E, Beukens, R P, Gove, H E, Bennett, C L, Clover, M R and Sondheim, W E, 1977, An attempt to detect stable N ions from a sputter source and the implication for 14C detection: Rev Phys Appl, v 12, p 14871492.10.1051/rphysap:0197700120100148700Google Scholar
Purser, K H, Litherland, A E and Gove, H E, 1979, Ultra-sensitive particle identification systems: Nuclear Instruments and Methods, v 162, p 637656.10.1016/0029-554X(79)90738-9Google Scholar
Raisbeck, G M, Yioux, F, Fruneau, M, Lievin, M and Loiseaux, J M, 1978a, Detection of 26Al using ALICE: Nature, v 275, p 731733.Google Scholar
Raisbeck, G M, Yioux, F, Fruneau, M and Loiseaux, J M, 1978b, Detection of 10Be using the Grenoble cyclotron: Science, v 202, p 215.Google Scholar
Septier, A, 1967, Focusing of charged particles: New York, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Shapira, D, de Vries, R M, Fulbright, H W, Toke, J, Clover, M R, 1975, A broad band nuclear detector for use in focal planes of magnetic spectrographs: Nuclear Instruments and Methods, v 129, p 123130.Google Scholar
Stuiver, Minze and Polach, H A, 1977, Discussion: Reporting of 14C data: Radiocarbon, v 19, p 355363.10.1017/S0033822200003672Google Scholar
Yntema, J L, 1974, Heavy ion stripping in Tandem accelerator terminals: Nuclear Instruments and Methods, v 122, p 4552.Google Scholar