Tantalum Plays Its Part for Research Into the Nature of Stars

Business in Vancouver reported that TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, has just completed a new, advanced rare-isotope laboratory called ARIEL including a state-of-the-art electron linear accelerator. Electrons in the accelerator are direct on targets made of beryllium, tantalum and other materials, and the results isotopes are sent off for experimentation.

As quoted in the press release:

ARIEL will in effect triple TRIUMF’s capabilities for producing beams of rare isotopes and will expand the range of isotopes produced. These isotopes are used to study the nature of stars, where the elements come from and how complex patterns arise from relatively simple building blocks. The implications [on other areas of science] are huge.

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