curium-244

curium-244

[′kyu̇r·ē·əm ¦tü¦fȯrd·ē¦fȯr]
(nuclear physics)
An isotope of curium, mass number 244; half-life is 16.6 years for α-particle emission; 1.4 × 107 years for spontaneous fission; potential use as compact thermoelectric power source.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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The secret is curium-244 (244Cu), which naturally gives off all the X-rays and alpha particles you need.
Designed and built by Canadian scientist Rail Gellert, the APXS uses radioactive curium-244 to produce both alpha particles and X-rays that probe the elemental composition of Martian rocks.
Chemistry on Mars: using innovative analytical techniques, Canadian scientists are gaining insight into the chemical makeup of a world beyond our own
The data at hand match estimated levels of xenon produced by sporadic fission of curium-242 and curium-244 inside melted fuel, it said.
UPDATE1: Xenon at Fukushima not result of 'critical' nuclear reactions: TEPCO

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