Decay of 243Pu

The radiations associated with the β-decay of 4.96 h 243Pu have been studied with Ge(Li) and Si(Li) detectors and krypton- and xenon-filled proportional counters. Conversion electron lines of the more intense γ-transitions have been measured and tentative multipolarities have been assigned. A decay scheme incorporating some 20 γ-transitions is presented. The Nilsson assignments of 72+[624] for 243Pu and 52−[523] for 243Am are substantiated by the present data. The total β-disintegration energy of 243Pu is 580 ± 10 keV.