$β$-Decay Half-Life of the $rp$-Process Waiting Point Nuclide $^{84}$Mo

Abstract

A half-life of 2.2 ± 0.2 s has been deduced for the ground-state β decay of 84 Mo, more than 1σ shorter than the previously adopted value. 84 Mo is an even-even N = Z nucleus lying on the proton dripline, created during explosive hydrogen burning in Type I X-ray bursts in the rapid proton capture (rp) process. The effect of the measured half-life on rp-process reaction flow is explored. Implications on theoretical treatments of nuclear deformation in 84 Mo are also discussed. FIG. 1: Yrast states up to 8 + in even-even N = Z nuclei. The transition energies are given in MeV. R 4/2 ratios are shown just below 0 + state. Taken from [10, 11].