High-precision half-life determination of $^{14}$O via direct $\beta$ counting

• Main Authors: Sharma, S, Grinyer, G. F, Ball, G. C, Leslie, J. R, Svensson, C. E, Ali, F. A, Andreoiu, C, Bernier, N, Bhattacharjee, S. S, Bildstein, V, Burbadge, C, Caballero-Folch, R, Coleman, R, Varela, A. Diaz, Dunlop, M. R, Dunlop, R, Garnsworthy, A. B, Fuakye, E. Gyabeng, Huber, G. M, Jigmeddorj, B, Kapoor, K, Laffoley, A. T, Leach, K. G, Long, J, MacLean, A. D, Natzke, C. R, Olaizola, B, Radich, A. J, Saei, N, Smallcombe, J. T, Talebitaher, A, Whitmore, K, Zidar, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 13-04-2022
• Subjects: Physics - Nuclear Experiment
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2204.06668

The half-life of the superallowed Fermi $\beta^+$ emitter $^{14}$O was
determined to high precision via a direct $\beta$ counting experiment performed
at the Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) facility at TRIUMF. The result,
$T_{1/2}$($^{14}$O) = 70619.2(76) ms, is consistent with, but is more precise
than, the world average obtained from 11 previous measurements. Combining the
$^{14}$O half-life deduced in the present work with the previous most precise
measurements of this quantity leads to a reduction in the overall uncertainty,
by nearly a factor of 2. The new world average is $T_{1/2}$($^{14}$O) =
70619.6(63) ms with a reduced $\chi^2$ value of 0.87 obtained from 8 degrees of
freedom.