This new isotope of oxygen, oxygen-28, was created when the team fired a beam of calcium-48 isotopes on a target of beryllium. Oxygen-16 has 8 neutrons and 8 protons, which provide it stability.

Scientists discovered hints of the new isotope, called nitrogen-9, by smashing beams of oxygen isotopes into beryllium atoms in the U.S. National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory.

The researchers set up two experiments involving three stable isotopes of oxygen. These are oxygen-16 and oxygen-18, which both have zero nuclear spin, and oxygen-17, which has a nuclear spin of 5/2.

The paper, titled Distinct oxygen isotope compositions of the Earth and Moon, may challenge the current understanding of the formation of the Moon.

NMR makes use of specific stable isotopes, commonly 13 C, but there is only one NMR-active stable isotope for oxygen, 17 O. The effects of using this oxygen isotope over other isotopes include ...

The most abundant form of oxygen, 16 O, is doubly magic, because of its eight protons and eight neutrons. Oxygen-28, with 8 protons and 20 neutrons, has long been predicted to be doubly magic, too.

Journal Reference: Erick J. Cano, Zachary D. Sharp, Charles K. Shearer. Distinct oxygen isotope compositions of the Earth and Moon. Nature Geoscience, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41561-020-0550-0 ...

A study of the upper atmosphere's composition has successfully measured an increased presence of the oxygen-18 isotope (18 O) compared to the lighter and most common isotope 16 O. Studies have shown ...

A new research paper has just been published in Limnology and Oceanography: Methods from the CERC.OCEAN group, spearheaded by postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Sally Walker. Dr. Walker and her colleagues ...