title: Settling the half-life of 60Fe: fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer.
abstract: In order to resolve a recent discrepancy in the half-life of 60Fe, we performed an independent measurement with a new method that determines the 60Fe content of a material relative to 55Fe (t1/2=2.744  yr) with accelerator mass spectrometry. Our result of (2.50±0.12)×10(6)  yr clearly favors the recently reported value (2.62±0.04)×10(6)  yr, and rules out the older result of (1.49±0.27)×10(6)  yr. The present weighted mean half-life value of (2.60±0.05)×10(6)  yr substantially improves the reliability as an important chronometer for astrophysical applications in the million-year time range. This includes its use as a sensitive probe for studying recent chemical evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of the early Solar System, nucleosynthesis processes in massive stars, and as an indicator of a recent nearby supernova.
authors: Department of Nuclear Physics, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia and VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Wallner
authors: Atominstitut, Vienna University of Technology, 1020 Vienna, Austria.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bichler
authors: VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria and Atominstitut, Vienna University of Technology, 1020 Vienna, Austria.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Buczak
authors: Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), 5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Dressler
authors: Department of Nuclear Physics, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.
authors: L K
authors: LK
authors: Fifield
authors: Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), 5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Schumann
authors: Atominstitut, Vienna University of Technology, 1020 Vienna, Austria.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Sterba
authors: Department of Nuclear Physics, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.
authors: S G
authors: SG
authors: Tims
authors: Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Wallner
authors: VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Kutschera