Kinetics analysis and quantitative calculations for the successive radioactive decay process

• Published in: Nuclear physics. A Vol. 933; pp. 143 - 153
• Main Authors: Zhou, Zhiping, Yan, Deyue, Zhao, Yuliang, Chai, Zhifang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Branch decay; Daughter nuclides; Laplace transform; Radioactive decay; Solving equations; Solving equations; Daughter nuclides; Radioactive decay; Branch decay; Laplace transform
• ISSN: 0375-9474
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2014.11.001

The general radioactive decay kinetics equations with branching were developed and the analytical solutions were derived by Laplace transform method. The time dependence of all the nuclide concentrations can be easily obtained by applying the equations to any known radioactive decay series. Taking the example of thorium radioactive decay series, the concentration evolution over time of various nuclide members in the family has been given by the quantitative numerical calculations with a computer. The method can be applied to the quantitative prediction and analysis for the daughter nuclides in the successive decay with branching of the complicated radioactive processes, such as the natural radioactive decay series, nuclear reactor, nuclear waste disposal, nuclear spallation, synthesis and identification of superheavy nuclides, radioactive ion beam physics and chemistry, etc.