Class DecayChain

java.lang.Object

org.episteme.natural.physics.nuclear.DecayChain

public class DecayChain
extends Object

Solves decay chain problems using Bateman equations. For chain: N₁ → N₂ → N₃ → ... → Stable

Since:

1.0

Author:

Silvere Martin-Michiellot, Gemini AI (Google DeepMind)

Nested Class Summary

Nested Classes

Modifier and Type	Class	Description
static class	DecayChain.Nuclide	Represents a nuclide in a decay chain.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor	Description
DecayChain(List<DecayChain.Nuclide> nuclides, Vector<Real> initialAmounts)	Creates a decay chain.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
Real	getActivity(int nuclideIndex, Real time)	Get activity of a specific nuclide at time t.
Real	getAmount(int nuclideIndex, Real time)	Bateman equation solution for the amount of nuclide i at time t.
List<DecayChain.Nuclide>	getChain()
static DecayChain	twoNuclide(String parent, Real parentHalfLife, String daughter, Real daughterHalfLife, Real initialParent)	Creates a simple two-nuclide decay chain.
static DecayChain	uranium238Chain(Real initialU238)	Creates the Uranium-238 decay chain (simplified).

Methods inherited from class Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Details

DecayChain

public DecayChain(List<DecayChain.Nuclide> nuclides,
 Vector<Real> initialAmounts)

Creates a decay chain.

Parameters:

nuclides - Ordered list of nuclides in the chain

initialAmounts - Initial number of atoms for each nuclide

Method Details

getAmount

public Real getAmount(int nuclideIndex,
 Real time)

Bateman equation solution for the amount of nuclide i at time t. N_i(t) = Σ_{j=1}^{i} c_{ij} * exp(-λ_j * t) For simplicity, this implementation handles the common case where only the parent nuclide is initially present.

Parameters:

nuclideIndex - Index of nuclide in chain (0 = parent)

time - Time elapsed (seconds)

Returns:

Number of atoms of the specified nuclide

getActivity

public Real getActivity(int nuclideIndex,
 Real time)

Get activity of a specific nuclide at time t. A = λ * N

twoNuclide

public static DecayChain twoNuclide(String parent,
 Real parentHalfLife,
 String daughter,
 Real daughterHalfLife,
 Real initialParent)

Creates a simple two-nuclide decay chain.

uranium238Chain

public static DecayChain uranium238Chain(Real initialU238)

Creates the Uranium-238 decay chain (simplified). U-238 → Th-234 → Pa-234 → U-234 → ... → Pb-206 (stable)

getChain

public List<DecayChain.Nuclide> getChain()