Nd148

Nd-148 is the isotope of the chemical element neodymium (Nd) with a mass number of 148. It has 60 protons, the atomic number of neodymium, and 88 neutrons. This nuclide is one of the stable isotopes that occur in natural neodymium and contributes to the element’s overall isotopic composition found in minerals.

In nature, Nd-148 is present in trace amounts within neodymium-bearing minerals. It can also be produced synthetically through neutron capture processes, such as irradiation of neodymium or neighboring isotopes in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators, followed by stabilizing decays that preserve mass number 148.

Nd-148 has no radioactive decay on observable timescales, reflecting its status as a stable isotope. Its existence helps define the isotopic structure of neodymium and is relevant to geochemical and cosmochemical studies that use Nd isotope systems to investigate planetary differentiation, crust-m mantle evolution, and other geological processes. Nd isotopes, including Nd-148, are measured in high-precision mass spectrometry to determine isotope ratios and to interpret crustal and mantle sources in Earth and planetary materials.

Related topics include the broader study of neodymium, the family of Nd isotopes, and isotope geochemistry methods. Nd-148 serves as part of the natural isotopic ensemble of neodymium, which is widely used in research on geochronology, crustal formation, and cosmochemical provenance.