Caesium (
55Cs) has 40 known
isotope
Isotopes are two or more types of atoms that have the same atomic number (number of protons in their nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemical element), and that differ in nucleon numbers (mass numb ...
s, making it, along with
barium and
mercury, one of the elements with the most isotopes.
The
atomic mass
The atomic mass (''m''a or ''m'') is the mass of an atom. Although the SI unit of mass is the kilogram (symbol: kg), atomic mass is often expressed in the non-SI unit dalton (symbol: Da) – equivalently, unified atomic mass unit (u). 1&nb ...
es of these isotopes range from 112 to 151. Only one isotope,
133Cs, is stable. The longest-lived
radioisotope
A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess nuclear energy, making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ways: emitted from the nucleus as gamma radiation; transferr ...
s are
135Cs with a half-life of 2.3 million years, with a half-life of 30.1671 years and
134Cs with a half-life of 2.0652 years. All other isotopes have half-lives less than 2 weeks, most under an hour.
Beginning in 1945 with the commencement of
nuclear testing, caesium radioisotopes were released into the
atmosphere where caesium is absorbed readily into solution and is returned to the surface of the earth as a component of
radioactive fallout
Nuclear fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and the shock wave has passed. It commonly refers to the radioac ...
. Once caesium enters the ground water, it is deposited on soil surfaces and removed from the landscape primarily by particle transport. As a result, the input function of these isotopes can be estimated as a function of time.
List of isotopes
, -
, rowspan=2,
112Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 57
, rowspan=2, 111.95030(33)#
, rowspan=2, 500(100) μs
,
p
,
111Xe
, rowspan=2, 1+#
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
,
α
,
108I
, -
, rowspan=2,
113Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 58
, rowspan=2, 112.94449(11)
, rowspan=2, 16.7(7) μs
, p (99.97%)
,
112Xe
, rowspan=2, 5/2+#
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
,
β+ (.03%)
,
113Xe
, -
, rowspan=4,
114Cs
, rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" , 59
, rowspan=4, 113.94145(33)#
, rowspan=4, 0.57(2) s
, β
+ (91.09%)
,
114Xe
, rowspan=4, (1+)
, rowspan=4,
, rowspan=4,
, -
, β
+, p (8.69%)
,
113I
, -
, β
+, α (.19%)
,
110Te
, -
, α (.018%)
,
110I
, -
, rowspan=2,
115Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 60
, rowspan=2, 114.93591(32)#
, rowspan=2, 1.4(8) s
, β
+ (99.93%)
,
115Xe
, rowspan=2, 9/2+#
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
+, p (.07%)
,
114I
, -
, rowspan=3,
116Cs
, rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 61
, rowspan=3, 115.93337(11)#
, rowspan=3, 0.70(4) s
, β
+ (99.67%)
,
116Xe
, rowspan=3, (1+)
, rowspan=3,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, β
+, p (.279%)
,
115I
, -
, β
+, α (.049%)
,
112Te
, -
, rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" ,
116mCs
, rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 100(60)# keV
, rowspan=3, 3.85(13) s
, β
+ (99.48%)
,
116Xe
, rowspan=3, 4+, 5, 6
, rowspan=3,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, β
+, p (.51%)
,
115I
, -
, β
+, α (.008%)
,
112Te
, -
,
117Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 62
, 116.92867(7)
, 8.4(6) s
, β
+
,
117Xe
, (9/2+)#
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
117mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 150(80)# keV
, 6.5(4) s
, β
+
,
117Xe
, 3/2+#
,
,
, -
, rowspan=3,
118Cs
, rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 63
, rowspan=3, 117.926559(14)
, rowspan=3, 14(2) s
, β
+ (99.95%)
,
118Xe
, rowspan=3, 2
, rowspan=3,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, β
+, p (.042%)
,
117I
, -
, β
+, α (.0024%)
,
114Te
, -
, rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" ,
118mCs
, rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 100(60)# keV
, rowspan=3, 17(3) s
, β
+ (99.95%)
,
118Xe
, rowspan=3, (7−)
, rowspan=3,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, β
+, p (.042%)
,
117I
, -
, β
+, α (.0024%)
,
114Te
, -
, rowspan=2,
119Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 64
, rowspan=2, 118.922377(15)
, rowspan=2, 43.0(2) s
, β
+
,
119Xe
, rowspan=2, 9/2+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
+, α (2×10
−6%)
,
115Te
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
119mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 50(30)# keV
, 30.4(1) s
, β
+
,
119Xe
, 3/2(+)
,
,
, -
, rowspan=3,
120Cs
, rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 65
, rowspan=3, 119.920677(11)
, rowspan=3, 61.2(18) s
, β
+
,
120Xe
, rowspan=3, 2(−#)
, rowspan=3,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, β
+, α (2×10
−5%)
,
116Te
, -
, β
+, p (7×10
−6%)
,
119I
, -
, rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" ,
120mCs
, rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 100(60)# keV
, rowspan=3, 57(6) s
, β
+
,
120Xe
, rowspan=3, (7−)
, rowspan=3,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, β
+, α (2×10
−5%)
,
116Te
, -
, β
+, p (7×10
−6%)
,
119I
, -
,
121Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 66
, 120.917229(15)
, 155(4) s
, β
+
,
121Xe
, 3/2(+)
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" ,
121mCs
, rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 68.5(3) keV
, rowspan=2, 122(3) s
, β
+ (83%)
,
121Xe
, rowspan=2, 9/2(+)
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
,
IT (17%)
,
121Cs
, -
, rowspan=2,
122Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 67
, rowspan=2, 121.91611(3)
, rowspan=2, 21.18(19) s
, β
+
,
122Xe
, rowspan=2, 1+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
+, α (2×10
−7%)
,
118Te
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
122m1Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 45.8 keV
, >1 μs
,
,
, (3)+
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
122m2Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 140(30) keV
, 3.70(11) min
, β
+
,
122Xe
, 8−
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
122m3Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 127.0(5) keV
, 360(20) ms
,
,
, (5)−
,
,
, -
,
123Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 68
, 122.912996(13)
, 5.88(3) min
, β
+
,
123Xe
, 1/2+
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
123m1Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 156.27(5) keV
, 1.64(12) s
, IT
,
123Cs
, (11/2)−
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
123m2Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 231.63+X keV
, 114(5) ns
,
,
, (9/2+)
,
,
, -
,
124Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 69
, 123.912258(9)
, 30.9(4) s
, β
+
, ''
124Xe''
, 1+
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
124mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 462.55(17) keV
, 6.3(2) s
, IT
,
124Cs
, (7)+
,
,
, -
,
125Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 70
, 124.909728(8)
, 46.7(1) min
, β
+
,
125Xe
, 1/2(+)
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
125mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 266.6(11) keV
, 900(30) ms
,
,
, (11/2−)
,
,
, -
,
126Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 71
, 125.909452(13)
, 1.64(2) min
, β
+
,
126Xe
, 1+
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
126m1Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 273.0(7) keV
, >1 μs
,
,
,
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
126m2Cs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 596.1(11) keV
, 171(14) μs
,
,
,
,
,
, -
,
127Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 72
, 126.907418(6)
, 6.25(10) h
, β
+
,
127Xe
, 1/2+
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
127mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 452.23(21) keV
, 55(3) μs
,
,
, (11/2)−
,
,
, -
,
128Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 73
, 127.907749(6)
, 3.640(14) min
, β
+
,
128Xe
, 1+
,
,
, -
,
129Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 74
, 128.906064(5)
, 32.06(6) h
, β
+
,
129Xe
, 1/2+
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2,
130Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 75
, rowspan=2, 129.906709(9)
, rowspan=2, 29.21(4) min
, β
+ (98.4%)
,
130Xe
, rowspan=2, 1+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
− (1.6%)
, ''
130Ba''
, -
, rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" ,
130mCs
, rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 163.25(11) keV
, rowspan=2, 3.46(6) min
, IT (99.83%)
,
130Cs
, rowspan=2, 5−
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
+ (.16%)
,
130Xe
, -
,
131Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 76
, 130.905464(5)
, 9.689(16) d
,
EC
,
131Xe
, 5/2+
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2,
132Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 77
, rowspan=2, 131.9064343(20)
, rowspan=2, 6.480(6) d
, β
+ (98.13%)
,
132Xe
, rowspan=2, 2+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
− (1.87%)
,
132Ba
, -
,
133Cs
[Used to define the second][ Fission product]
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 78
, 132.905451933(24)
, colspan=3 align=center, Stable
[Theoretically capable of spontaneous fission]
, 7/2+
, 1.0000
,
, -
, rowspan=2,
134Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 79
, rowspan=2, 133.906718475(28)
, rowspan=2, 2.0652(4) y
, β
−
,
134Ba
, rowspan=2, 4+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, EC (3×10
−4%)
,
134Xe
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
134mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 138.7441(26) keV
, 2.912(2) h
, IT
,
134Cs
, 8−
,
,
, -
,
135Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 80
, 134.9059770(11)
, 2.3 x10
6 y
, β
−
,
135Ba
, 7/2+
,
,
, -
, style="text-indent:1em" ,
135mCs
, colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1632.9(15) keV
, 53(2) min
, IT
,
135Cs
, 19/2−
,
,
, -
,
136Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 81
, 135.9073116(20)
, 13.16(3) d
, β
−
,
136Ba
, 5+
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" ,
136mCs
, rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 518(5) keV
, rowspan=2, 19(2) s
, β
−
,
136Ba
, rowspan=2, 8−
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, IT
,
136Cs
, -
, rowspan=2,
137Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 82
, rowspan=2, 136.9070895(5)
, rowspan=2, 30.1671(13) y
, β
− (95%)
,
137mBa
, rowspan=2, 7/2+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
− (5%)
,
137Ba
, -
,
138Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 83
, 137.911017(10)
, 33.41(18) min
, β
−
,
138Ba
, 3−
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" ,
138mCs
, rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 79.9(3) keV
, rowspan=2, 2.91(8) min
, IT (81%)
,
138Cs
, rowspan=2, 6−
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
− (19%)
,
138Ba
, -
,
139Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 84
, 138.913364(3)
, 9.27(5) min
, β
−
,
139Ba
, 7/2+
,
,
, -
,
140Cs
, style="text-align:right" , 55
, style="text-align:right" , 85
, 139.917282(9)
, 63.7(3) s
, β
−
,
140Ba
, 1−
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2,
141Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 86
, rowspan=2, 140.920046(11)
, rowspan=2, 24.84(16) s
, β
− (99.96%)
,
141Ba
, rowspan=2, 7/2+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−,
n (.0349%)
,
140Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
142Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 87
, rowspan=2, 141.924299(11)
, rowspan=2, 1.689(11) s
, β
− (99.9%)
,
142Ba
, rowspan=2, 0−
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (.091%)
,
141Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
143Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 88
, rowspan=2, 142.927352(25)
, rowspan=2, 1.791(7) s
, β
− (98.38%)
,
143Ba
, rowspan=2, 3/2+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (1.62%)
,
142Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
144Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 89
, rowspan=2, 143.932077(28)
, rowspan=2, 994(4) ms
, β
− (96.8%)
,
144Ba
, rowspan=2, 1(−#)
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (3.2%)
,
143Ba
, -
, rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" ,
144mCs
, rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 300(200)# keV
, rowspan=2, <1 s
, β
−
,
144Ba
, rowspan=2, (>3)
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, IT
,
144Cs
, -
, rowspan=2,
145Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 90
, rowspan=2, 144.935526(12)
, rowspan=2, 582(6) ms
, β
− (85.7%)
,
145Ba
, rowspan=2, 3/2+
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (14.3%)
,
144Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
146Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 91
, rowspan=2, 145.94029(8)
, rowspan=2, 0.321(2) s
, β
− (85.8%)
,
146Ba
, rowspan=2, 1−
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (14.2%)
,
145Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
147Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 92
, rowspan=2, 146.94416(6)
, rowspan=2, 0.235(3) s
, β
− (71.5%)
,
147Ba
, rowspan=2, (3/2+)
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (28.49%)
,
146Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
148Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 93
, rowspan=2, 147.94922(62)
, rowspan=2, 146(6) ms
, β
− (74.9%)
,
148Ba
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n (25.1%)
,
147Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
149Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 94
, rowspan=2, 148.95293(21)#
, rowspan=2, 150# ms
50 ms, β
−
,
149Ba
, rowspan=2, 3/2+#
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n
,
148Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
150Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 95
, rowspan=2, 149.95817(32)#
, rowspan=2, 100# ms
50 ms, β
−
,
150Ba
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n
,
149Ba
, -
, rowspan=2,
151Cs
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55
, rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 96
, rowspan=2, 150.96219(54)#
, rowspan=2, 60# ms
50 ms, β
−
,
151Ba
, rowspan=2, 3/2+#
, rowspan=2,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, β
−, n
,
150Ba
Caesium-131
Caesium-131, introduced in 2004 for
brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy where a sealed radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. ''Brachy'' is Greek for short. Brachytherapy is commonly used as an effective treatment for cervical, prost ...
by
Isoray,
has a
half-life
Half-life (symbol ) is the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable at ...
of 9.7 days and 30.4 keV energy.
Caesium-133
Caesium-133 is the only stable
isotope
Isotopes are two or more types of atoms that have the same atomic number (number of protons in their nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemical element), and that differ in nucleon numbers (mass numb ...
of caesium. The
SI base unit of time, the
second, is defined by a
specific caesium-133 transition. Since 1967, the official definition of a second is:
Caesium-134
Caesium-134 has a
half-life
Half-life (symbol ) is the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable at ...
of 2.0652 years. It is produced both directly (at a very small yield because
134Xe is stable) as a
fission product and via
neutron capture
Neutron capture is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus and one or more neutrons collide and merge to form a heavier nucleus. Since neutrons have no electric charge, they can enter a nucleus more easily than positively charged protons, ...
from nonradioactive
133Cs (neutron capture
cross section
Cross section may refer to:
* Cross section (geometry)
** Cross-sectional views in architecture & engineering 3D
*Cross section (geology)
* Cross section (electronics)
* Radar cross section, measure of detectability
* Cross section (physics)
**Abs ...
29
barns
A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. ...
), which is a common fission product. Caesium-134 is not produced via
beta decay
In nuclear physics, beta decay (β-decay) is a type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (fast energetic electron or positron) is emitted from an atomic nucleus, transforming the original nuclide to an isobar of that nuclide. For ...
of other fission product
nuclides
A nuclide (or nucleide, from nucleus, also known as nuclear species) is a class of atoms characterized by their number of protons, ''Z'', their number of neutrons, ''N'', and their nuclear energy state.
The word ''nuclide'' was coined by Truman ...
of mass 134 since beta decay stops at stable
134Xe. It is also not produced by
nuclear weapons because
133Cs is created by beta decay of original fission products only long after the nuclear explosion is over.
The combined yield of
133Cs and
134Cs is given as 6.7896%. The proportion between the two will change with continued neutron irradiation.
134Cs also captures neutrons with a cross section of 140 barns, becoming long-lived radioactive
135Cs.
Caesium-134 undergoes
beta decay
In nuclear physics, beta decay (β-decay) is a type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (fast energetic electron or positron) is emitted from an atomic nucleus, transforming the original nuclide to an isobar of that nuclide. For ...
(β
−), producing
134Ba directly and emitting on average 2.23
gamma ray
A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or \gamma), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically ...
photons (mean energy 0.698
MeV
In physics, an electronvolt (symbol eV, also written electron-volt and electron volt) is the measure of an amount of kinetic energy gained by a single electron accelerating from rest through an electric potential difference of one volt in vacu ...
).
Caesium-135
Caesium-135 is a mildly
radioactive
Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is consi ...
isotope of caesium with a half-life of 2.3 million years. It decays via emission of a low-energy beta particle into the stable isotope barium-135. Caesium-135 is one of the seven
long-lived fission products and the only alkaline one. In most types of
nuclear reprocessing, it stays with the
medium-lived fission products (including which can only be separated from Cs-135 via
isotope separation
Isotope separation is the process of concentrating specific isotopes of a chemical element by removing other isotopes. The use of the nuclides produced is varied. The largest variety is used in research (e.g. in chemistry where atoms of "marker" n ...
) rather than with other long-lived fission products. The low
decay energy
The decay energy is the energy change of a nucleus having undergone a radioactive decay. Radioactive decay is the process in which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting ionizing particles and radiation. This decay, or loss of energy ...
, lack of
gamma radiation, and long half-life of
135Cs make this isotope much less hazardous than
137Cs or
134Cs.
Its precursor
135Xe has a high
fission product yield
Nuclear fission splits a heavy nucleus such as uranium or plutonium into two lighter nuclei, which are called fission products. Yield refers to the fraction of a fission product produced per fission.
Yield can be broken down by:
# Individual ...
(e.g. 6.3333% for
235U and
thermal neutron
The neutron detection temperature, also called the neutron energy, indicates a free neutron's kinetic energy, usually given in electron volts. The term ''temperature'' is used, since hot, thermal and cold neutrons are moderated in a medium wi ...
s) but also has the highest known
thermal neutron
The neutron detection temperature, also called the neutron energy, indicates a free neutron's kinetic energy, usually given in electron volts. The term ''temperature'' is used, since hot, thermal and cold neutrons are moderated in a medium wi ...
capture cross section of any nuclide. Because of this, much of the
135Xe produced in current
thermal reactor
A thermal-neutron reactor is a nuclear reactor that uses slow or thermal neutrons. ("Thermal" does not mean hot in an absolute sense, but means in thermal equilibrium with the medium it is interacting with, the reactor's fuel, moderator and struct ...
s (as much as >90% at steady-state full power)
will be converted to extremely long-lived (half-life on the order of 10
21 years) before it can decay to despite the relatively short half life of . Little or no will be destroyed by neutron capture after a reactor shutdown, or in a
molten salt reactor
A molten salt reactor (MSR) is a class of nuclear fission reactor in which the primary nuclear reactor coolant and/or the fuel is a molten salt mixture. Only two MSRs have ever operated, both research reactors in the United States. The 1950's ...
that continuously removes xenon from its fuel, a
fast neutron reactor
A fast-neutron reactor (FNR) or fast-spectrum reactor or simply a fast reactor is a category of nuclear reactor in which the fission chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons (carrying energies above 1 MeV or greater, on average), as opposed ...
, or a nuclear weapon. The
xenon pit is a phenomenon of excess neutron absorption through buildup in the reactor after a reduction in power or a shutdown and is often managed by letting the decay away to a level at which neutron flux can be safely controlled via
control rods again.
A nuclear reactor will also produce much smaller amounts of
135Cs from the nonradioactive fission product
133Cs by successive neutron capture to
134Cs and then
135Cs.
The thermal neutron capture cross section and
resonance integral
Neutron capture is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus and one or more neutrons collide and merge to form a heavier nucleus. Since neutrons have no electric charge, they can enter a nucleus more easily than positively charged protons, ...
of
135Cs are and respectively.
Disposal of
135Cs by
nuclear transmutation is difficult, because of the low cross section as well as because neutron irradiation of mixed-isotope fission caesium produces more
135Cs from stable
133Cs. In addition, the intense medium-term radioactivity of
137Cs makes handling of nuclear waste difficult.
ANL factsheet
Caesium-136
Caesium-136 has a half-life of 13.16 days. It is produced both directly (at a very small yield because
136Xe is
beta-stable
Beta-decay stable isobar (nuclide), isobars are the set of nuclides which cannot undergo beta decay, that is, the transformation of a neutron to a proton or a proton to a neutron within the Atomic nucleus, nucleus. A subset of these nuclides are ...
) as a fission product and via neutron capture from long-lived
135Cs (neutron capture cross section 8.702 barns), which is a common fission product. Caesium-136 is not produced via beta decay of other fission product nuclides of mass 136 since beta decay stops at almost-stable
136Xe. It is also not produced by nuclear weapons because
135Cs is created by beta decay of original fission products only long after the nuclear explosion is over.
136Cs also captures neutrons with a cross section of 13.00 barns, becoming medium-lived radioactive
137Cs.
Caesium-136 undergoes beta decay (β−), producing
136Ba directly.
Caesium-137
Caesium-137, with a half-life of 30.17 years, is one of the two principal
medium-lived fission products, along with
90Sr, which are responsible for most of the
radioactivity of
spent nuclear fuel
Spent nuclear fuel, occasionally called used nuclear fuel, is nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in a nuclear reactor (usually at a nuclear power plant). It is no longer useful in sustaining a nuclear reaction in an ordinary thermal reactor and ...
after several years of cooling, up to several hundred years after use. It constitutes most of the radioactivity still left from the
Chernobyl accident and is a major health concern for decontaminating land near the
Fukushima
may refer to:
Japan
* Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture
** Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
***Fukushima University, national university in Japan
*** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...
nuclear power plant.
137Cs beta decays to barium-137m (a short-lived
nuclear isomer
A nuclear isomer is a metastable state of an atomic nucleus, in which one or more nucleons (protons or neutrons) occupy higher energy levels than in the ground state of the same nucleus. "Metastable" describes nuclei whose excited states have ...
) then to nonradioactive
barium-137
Naturally occurring barium (56Ba) is a mix of six stable isotopes and one very long-lived radioactive primordial isotope, barium-130, identified as being unstable by geochemical means (from analysis of the presence of its daughter xenon-130 in roc ...
, and is also a strong emitter of gamma radiation.
137Cs has a very low rate of neutron capture and cannot yet be feasibly disposed of in this way unless advances in neutron beam collimation (not otherwise achievable by magnetic fields), uniquely available only from within
muon catalyzed fusion experiments (not in the other forms of
Accelerator Transmutation of Nuclear Waste) enables production of neutrons at high enough intensity to offset and overcome these low capture rates; until then, therefore,
137Cs must simply be allowed to decay.
137Cs has been used as a
tracer in hydrologic studies, analogous to the use of
3H.
Other isotopes of caesium
The other isotopes have half-lives from a few days to fractions of a second.
Almost all caesium produced from nuclear fission comes from beta decay of originally more neutron-rich fission products, passing through
isotopes of iodine
There are 37 known isotopes of iodine (53I) from 108I to 144I; all undergo radioactive decay except 127I, which is stable. Iodine is thus a monoisotopic element.
Its longest-lived radioactive isotope, 129I, has a half-life of 15.7 million yea ...
then
isotopes of xenon
Naturally occurring xenon (54Xe) consists of seven stable isotopes and two very long-lived isotopes. Double electron capture has been observed in 124Xe (half-life ) and double beta decay in 136Xe (half-life ), which are among the longest measured ...
. Because these elements are volatile and can diffuse through nuclear fuel or air, caesium is often created far from the original site of fission.
References
* Isotope masses from:
**
* Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from:
**
**
* Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources.
**
**
**
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Caesium