Production of cosmogenic nuclides in thick targets by alpha bombardment. Part I — short-lived radioisotopes

Abstract

Production of short-lived cosmogenic nuclides in planetary surfaces and remote spacecraft detectors was simulated by bombarding “thick” C, Mg, Al, Si, SiO 2, Fe, Ni, and Ge targets with 60, 90 and 120 MeV alpha particles. Gold foils were used to monitor alpha particle fluence; product nuclides were measured by gamma ray spectroscopy. The results were used to calculate production yields for each alpha energy, as well as cross sections averaged over the energy ranges 60–90 and 90–120 MeV.