Decay Characteristics of Neutron Excess Phosphorous Nuclei

Abstract

In neutron star mergers, neutron excess nuclei and the r-process are important factors governing the production of heavier nuclear systems. A single-particle model evaluation of phosphorous nuclei suggests that the heaviest Z = 15 nucleus will have mass 54 with filling of the 1f5/2 neutron shell. A = 45 – 54 phosphorous isotopes have limited experimental half-life data, but the model predicts beta decay half-lives in the range of 0.404 – 10.1 ms. Based on previous calculations for Z = 9 -14, 20, 26, and 30 systems and comparisons to the 45P, 46P, 47P, and 49P calculations, summarized in the Japanese Nuclear Data Compilation, the single-particle model results likely overestimate the half-lives of A = 45 – 54 neutron excess phosphorous nuclei.