ABSTRACT
Proton-rich nuclei have always proven to be an excellent source of exotic decay modes. Although standard β+ and alpha particle decay have long been decay measurement standards, beta-delayed particle emission has become a preferred probe as experiments proceed further from stability. Beta-delayed proton emission has ceased to be considered a particularly exotic decay mode simply because there are now in excess of 75 isotopes which exhibit this phenomenon. It still, however, remains an extremely sensitive nuclear structure probe. Beta-delayed alpha particle emission is not nearly as prevalent as beta-delayed proton emission, in spite of the excellent stability of the alpha particle. As experiments extend toward the proton drip line, additional exotic decay modes (proton radioactivity, two-proton radioactivity, and beta-delayed two-proton radioactivity) are predicted to dominate. Primarily due to experimental accessibility, much of this work has been concentrated in the light proton-rich nuclei (see Reference 1 for a general review).
