Development towards ⁵³Mn Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Capabilities at the University of Notre Dame

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) with ⁵³Mn has wide-reaching applications. Initially developed as a geological chronometer, ⁵³Mn has more recently been used to search for evidence of recent supernovae events, and has been proposed as a proxy to monitor the variation in the galactic cosmic ray spectrum over time. The low level detection of this isotope is challenging as it requires positive identification from the stable isobar ⁵³Cr which is also present within sample material. Very few facilities around the world are capable of separating and detecting this rare isotope, therefore prompting an investigation into current capabilities.

At the University of Notre Dame’s Nuclear Science Laboratory (NSL), a 10 MV tandem accelerator and a Browne-Buechner Spectrograph operated in gas-filled mode with ΔE vs. position detection was used to isolate ⁵³Mn from ⁵³Cr. Samples covering ranges of ⁵³Mn/⁵⁵Mn=10^-8-10^-10 and natural manganese were measured for the first time at the NSL establishing an initial detection limit of ⁵³Mn/⁵⁵Mn=2x10^-11. Descriptions of experimental settings, analysis of the results, and further explorations will be presented.