Isotope Niquel 78, history of heavy elements
2005/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
The Big Bang explosion caused hydrogen and helium, while the nuclear reactions of the stars caused the appearance of all the atoms smaller than iron and iron. On the contrary, it is not clear how atoms greater than iron are formed. Yes, a nickel isotope participates in this process, and its research helps a lot when testing hypotheses.
For physicists, many heavy atoms are formed in supernovae, that is, in explosions of large mass stars, through a process called rapid capture of neutrons. In this process is very important the isotopic nickel 78, which is formed and undone very quickly and depending on the speed of this process is different. The rapid process generates atoms and other slow ones. According to the latest measurements, the average life of the isotope Niquel 78 is 110 milliseconds, shorter than expected.
The short duration of the process produces, among others, gold, platinum or uranium. And, therefore, the result of this measure indicates that these three atoms are more abundant than expected in the supernovae.
