Gleaning the {\ss}{\ss} decay half-life of $^{\mathrm{96}}$Zr from billion year old zircons

ORAL

Abstract

The decay of $^{\mathrm{96}}$Zr is of notable interest as a $\beta \beta $ decay candidate. Wieser and DeLaeter determined its $\beta \beta $ decay half-life by measuring an isotopic anomaly of the $^{\mathrm{96}}$Mo daughter in ancient zircons, yielding a value of 0.94(32)x10$^{\mathrm{19}}$ a. More recently, the NEMO collaboration measured the half-life by a direct count rate measurement to be 2.4(3)x10$^{\mathrm{19\thinspace }}$a, twice as long as the geochemical measurement. We aim to study this discrepancy through a series of experiments combining nuclear physics and geochemical techniques. We are measuring the amount of daughter product of the $\beta \beta $ decay of $^{\mathrm{96}}$Zr$\to ^{\mathrm{96}}$Mo in ancient zircons with ages from 500 Ma to 2.5 Ga using modern chemical preparation techniques and instrumentation. The zirconium silicates, which have remained a closed system over their lifetimes, are especially suitable for this investigation due to their high zirconium content and the low natural molybdenum abundance. This makes it possible to detect the small amount of accumulated decay product. These measurements are being performed in conjunction with beta decay Q-value measurements at the University of Jyv\"{a}skyl\"{a} JYFLTRAP experiment, a high precision mass measurement penning trap for atomic and nuclear science. Combined, these measurements will help to resolve the discrepancy of the two independent measurements.

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Authors

  • Adam Mayer

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University