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What is Thorium Series – Definition

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The thorium series (or thorium cascade) is one of three classical radioactive series beginning with naturally occurring thorium-232. Thorium series significantly influences radioactivity natural materials. Radiation Dosimetry

thorium series - decay chainThe thorium series is one of three classical radioactive series beginning with naturally occurring thorium-232. This radioactive decay chain consists of unstable heavy atomic nuclei that decay through a sequence of alpha and beta decays until a stable nucleus is achieved. In case of thorium series, the stable nucleus is lead-208.

Since alpha decay represents the disintegration of a parent nucleus to a daughter through the emission of the nucleus of a helium atom (which contains four nucleons), there are only four decay series. Within each series, therefore, the mass number of the members may be expressed as four times an appropriate integer (n) plus the constant for that series. As a result, the thorium series is known as the 4n series.

The total energy released from thorium-232 to lead-208, including the energy lost to neutrinos, is 42.6 MeV.

Activity of Natural Samples – Thorium Series

Major heat-producing isotopes.Thorium cascade significantly influences radioactivity (disintegrations per second) of natural samples and natural materials. All the descendants are present, at least transiently, in any natural thorium-containing sample, whether metal, compound, or mineral.  For example, pure thorium-232 is weakly radioactive (proportional to its long half-life), but a thorium ore is about 10 times more radioactive than the pure thorium-232 metal because of its daughter isotopes (e.g. radon, radium etc.) it contains. Not only are unstable radium isotopes significant radioactivity emitters, but as the next stage in the decay chain they also generate radon, a heavy, inert, naturally occurring radioactive gas. Moreover the decay heat of thorium and its decay products (e.g. radon, radium etc.) contributes to heating of Earth’s core. Together with uranium and potassium-40 in the Earth’s mantle is thought that these elements are the main source of heat that keeps the Earth’s core liquid.

Types of Decay in Thorium Series

Within each radioactive series, there are two main modes of radioactive decay:

  • Alpha decay. Alpha decay represents the disintegration of a parent nucleus to a daughter through the emission of the nucleus of a helium atom. Alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium nucleus. Because of its very large mass (more than 7000 times the mass of the beta particle) and its charge, it heavy ionizes material and has a very short range.
  • Beta decay. Beta decay or β decay represents the disintegration of a parent nucleus to a daughter through the emission of the beta particle. Beta particles are high-energy, high-speed electrons or positrons emitted by certain types of radioactive nuclei such as potassium-40. The beta particles have greater range of penetration than alpha particles, but still much less than gamma rays.The beta particles emitted are a form of ionizing radiation also known as beta rays. The production of beta particles is termed beta decay.
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See also:

Radioactive Series

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