First results of an experimental study of the residual activity induced by high-energy uranium ions in steel and copper

First results of an experimental study of the residual activity induced by high-energy uranium ions are presented. As a preparatory work for constructing the FAIR facility at GSI, samples of stainless steel and copper were irradiated by 500 MeV/u 238U ions and investigated by gamma-ray spectroscopy. The isotopes that contribute dominantly to the residual activity have been identified and their contributions have been quantified. Depth-profiles of residual activity of individual isotopes have shown that target activation due to projectile fragments and neutrons extends far beyond the range of primary particles and reaches the same level as in the region irradiated by primary particles.