Neon-23

Properties and data of the isotope ²³Ne.

Contents

General Data

Radioactive Decay

Parent Nuclides

Isotones und Isobares

Literature

Neon-23 is a radioisotope of the chemical element neon, which has 13 neutrons in its atomic nucleus in addition to the element-specific 10 protons; the sum of the number of these atomic nucleus building blocks results in a mass number of 23. The very short-lived, only artificially produced, unstable and thus radioactive nuclide has no practical significance; the study of ²³Ne is for academic and experimental purposes only.

The first report of the observation and identification of neon-23 dates back to 1936. A metallic Na sample was irradiated with neutrons from a Rn/Be source, forming ²³Ne by the nuclear reaction ²³Na(n,p)²³Ne [1].

See also: List of individual Neon isotopes (and general data sources).

General data

Name of the isotope:Neon-23; Ne-23Symbol:²³Ne or 2310NeMass number A:23 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:10 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:13Nucleon pairing (Z - N):even - oddNuclear ratio (N/Z ratio):1.3 (= neutron-proton ratio)Neutron excess (N-Z):3Isotopic mass:22.99446691(11) u (atomic weight of Neon-23)Nuclide mass:22.9889811 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-5.15404 MeVMass defect:0.196427318 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:182.97086815 MeV (per nucleus)
7.95525514 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 5.20065(10) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 15.236(12) MeV (first proton)Half-life:37.15(3) sDecay constant λ:0.018658066771466 s^-1Specific activity α:5.107341194175 × 10⁺²⁰ Bq g^-1
13803624849.124 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)5/2+Magnetic dipole moment:μ(μ_N) = -1.0794(10)Quadrupole moment Q:0.145(13) barn (100 fm²)Nuclear g-factor:g_l = -0.43176Charge radius:2.9104(71) femtometer fmMirror nucleus:Aluminium-23Year of discovery:1936

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 37.15(3) s respectively 3.715 × 10¹ seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
β^-	²³Na	100 %	4.37581(10) MeV

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotopes are: ²³F, ²⁴F.

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 13) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 23) with Neon-23. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

Z	Isotone N = 13	Isobar A = 23
5	¹⁸B
6	¹⁹C
7	²⁰N	²³N
8	²¹O	²³O
9	²²F	²³F
10	²³Ne	²³Ne
11	²⁴Na	²³Na
12	²⁵Mg	²³Mg
13	²⁶Al	²³Al
14	²⁷Si	²³Si
15	²⁸P
16	²⁹S
17	³⁰Cl
18	³¹Ar
19	³²K

External data and identifiers

Adopted Levels, Gammas:NuDat 23Ne

Literature and References

[1] - M.E. Nahmias, R.J. Walen:
Quelques recherches en radioactivité artificielle.
In: Journal de Physique et Le Radium, 8, 4, (1937), DOI 10.1051/jphysrad:0193700804015300.

[2] - Yonatan Mishnayot et al.:
²³Ne production at SARAF-I.
In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A, 978, 164365, (2020), DOI 10.1016/j.nima.2020.164365.

[3] - Marc Menéndez Sánchez:
Precision calculation of the ²³Ne half-life.
In: University of Barcelona, (2023).