thorium227

Thorium-227 is a radioactive isotope of thorium. It is an alpha emitter with a half-life of 18.7 days. Thorium-227 is a decay product of actinium-227. It decays into radium-223. Thorium-227 is part of the decay chain of uranium-235.

In the natural decay series of uranium-235, actinium-227 is formed, which then decays into thorium-227. Thorium-227 subsequently decays into radium-223. Radium-223 is itself a radioactive isotope and is the parent of a short-lived series of alpha and beta decays leading to stable lead-207.

Due to its relatively short half-life and its position in a decay chain that leads to alpha-emitting isotopes, thorium-227 has been a subject of interest in certain scientific research contexts, particularly in radiochemistry and nuclear physics. Its production is typically from the decay of heavier actinide isotopes. The alpha particles emitted by thorium-227 and its daughter products possess significant ionizing power, which is a characteristic relevant to some specialized applications and studies of radioactive decay processes. The presence and behavior of thorium-227 are important considerations in understanding the full decay pathway of the uranium-235 series.