GAMMA RADIATION FROM THE PROTON BOMBARDMENT OF OXYGEN

Abstract

The nuclear gamma radiation following the non-resonant capture of a proton in O16 has been studied with protons of energies, from 800 kev. to 2.1 Mev. and found to consist of three components. The main transition goes, via a gamma ray of energy that varies with proton bombarding energy, to the [Formula: see text] state of F17. This state, 487 kev. above the ground state, radiates directly to the ground state. In addition there is a weaker direct radiative transition from the capture configuration to the ground state. At energies above Ep = 1.8 Mev. oxide targets bombarded with protons give rise to a radiation of 873 kev. attributed to the presence of the O17 isotope via the reaction O17(p, p′)O17*, the radiation corresponding to the transition from the first excited state of O17 to the ground state.