Template:Decay modes

v t e Decay modes in NUBASE 2020^[1]
Mode	Name	Action	Nucleus changes
α	Alpha emission	An alpha particle (A = 4, Z = 2) emitted from nucleus	(A − 4, Z − 2)
p	Proton emission	A proton ejected from nucleus	(A − 1, Z − 1)
2p	2-proton emission	Two protons ejected from nucleus simultaneously	(A − 2, Z − 2)
n	Neutron emission	A neutron ejected from nucleus	(A − 1, Z)
2n	2-neutron emission	Two neutrons ejected from nucleus simultaneously	(A − 2, Z)
ε	Electron capture	A nucleus captures an orbiting electron and emits a neutrino; the daughter nucleus is left in an excited unstable state	(A, Z − 1)
e⁺	Positron emission	A nuclear proton converts to a neutron by emitting a positron and an electron neutrino	(A, Z − 1)
β⁺	Positron emission	In NUBASE2020, β⁺ refers to the combined rate of electron capture (ε) and positron emission (e⁺): (β⁺ = ε + e⁺)	(A, Z − 1)
β⁻	β⁻ decay	A nucleus emits an electron and an electron antineutrino	(A, Z + 1)
2β⁻	Double β decay	A nucleus emits two electrons and two antineutrinos	(A, Z + 2)
2β⁺	Double β decay	A nucleus emits two positrons and two neutrinos	(A, Z − 2)
β⁻n	β⁻-delayed neutron emission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then emits a neutron	(A − 1, Z + 1)
β⁻2n	β⁻-delayed 2-neutron emission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then emits two neutrons	(A − 2, Z + 1)
β⁻3n	β⁻-delayed 3-neutron emission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then emits three neutrons	(A − 3, Z + 1)
β⁺p	β⁺-delayed proton emission	A nucleus decays by β⁺ emission to an excited state, which then emits a proton	(A − 1, Z − 2)
β⁺2p	β⁺-delayed 2-proton emission	A nucleus decays by β⁺ emission to an excited state, which then emits two protons	(A − 2, Z − 3)
β⁺3p	β⁺-delayed 3-proton emission	A nucleus decays by β⁺ emission to an excited state, which then emits three protons	(A − 3, Z − 4)
β⁻α	β⁻-delayed alpha emission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then emits an α particle	(A − 4, Z − 1)
β⁺α	β⁺-delayed alpha emission	A nucleus decays by β⁺ emission to an excited state, which then emits an α particle	(A − 4, Z − 3)
β⁻d	β⁻-delayed deuteron emission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then emits a deuteron	(A − 2, Z)
β⁻t	β⁻-delayed triton emission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then emits a triton	(A − 3, Z)
CD	Cluster decay	A nucleus emits a specific type of smaller nucleus (A₁, Z₁) which is larger than an alpha particle	(A − A₁, Z − Z₁) & (A₁, Z₁)
IT	Internal (isomeric) transition	A nucleus in a metastable state drops to a lower energy state by emitting a photon or ejecting an electron	(A, Z)
SF	Spontaneous fission	A nucleus disintegrates into two or more smaller nuclei and other particles, all of which may vary with each decay	variable
β⁺SF	β⁺-delayed fission	A nucleus decays by β⁺ emission to an excited state, which then undergoes spontaneous fission	β⁺ & variable
β⁻SF	β⁻-delayed fission	A nucleus decays by β⁻ emission to an excited state, which then undergoes spontaneous fission	β⁻ & variable

↑ Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.

[1] Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.

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Template:Decay modes

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