Physics of rare events: insights on Napoleon death. Ezio Previtali INFN Sez. Milano Bicocca Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Physics of Rare Events In experiments on Rare Events Physics: • double beta decay search • solar neutrinos • non baryonic dark matter search • …… Very pure materials are needed to minimize experimental background In Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay energy region it is expected a background: 1 counts / (keV ton year) To obtain such low background values, material’s contaminations must be: < 10 -12 g/g for 238 U and 232 Th Specific instrumentations and methodologies are necessary Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Physics of Rare Events Suitable measurement techniques are: • ICP MS (Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) • NAA (Neutron Activation Analysis) • AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) • Gamma rays spectrometry with HPGe (for radioactive samples) • Cryogenic Particle Detectors (for radioactive samples) As examples for solid materials used in low background experiments Tecniques 232 Th [10 -13 g/g] 238 U [10 -13 g/g] Characteristics References Bolometers 3 3 All chain MiBi +LNGS γ emitters HPGe 45 12 LNGS ICP MS 2 10 Primordials Pacific NW NAA 9 20 Primordials MiBi+PV-TUM Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
By product Developed techniques can be applied to lot of studies outside Rare Events Physics Environmental studies: • Evaluation of air particulate dynamics • Study of climatologically evolution of the hearth • Date of the geological substrates and ice core samples • Evolution of pedological (soils) profile for erosion studies • …………. Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Ice core historical reconstruction MegaTons in North Emisphere Nuclear tests – ‘60 U.R.S.S. U.S.A. CHINA Nuclear tests - China Total error: few months over 60 years Superposition 137 Cs-Megatons 137 Cs in Alp Ice Core Nuclear tests– Anni ‘60 Nuclear tests - China Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
By product Developed techniques can be applied to lot of studies outside Rare Events Physics Environmental studies: • Evaluation of air particulate dynamics • Study of climatologically evolution of the hearth • Date of the geological ad ice core samples • Evolution of pedological profile for erosion studies • …………. Archeological studies: • Historical study for sample dating • Identification of production sources • Technological evolution of the human approaches • …………. Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Ancient Roman Lead Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
By product Developed techniques can be applied to lot of studies outside Rare Events Physics Environmental studies: • Evaluation of air particulate dynamics • Study of climatologically evolution of the hearth • Date of the geological ad ice core samples • Evolution of pedological profile for erosion studies • …………. Archeological studies: • Historical study for sample dating • Identification of production sources • Technological evolution of the human approaches • …………. Cultural heritage and historical studies: • Determination of the composition in historical samples • Studies of the arts manufact • Toxicology for historical fact (death of Napoleon) •……. Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Napoleon at S. Helena island • 15 October 1815: Begins the exile of Napoleon on the island of S. Helen • Spring 1816: Health of the emperor becomes precarious • May 1816: He contacted Dr. O'Meara for insomnia, headache, gout • September 1817: Diagnosis of hepatitis, takes calomel • Beginning 1818: Dr. O’Meara recalled in London, arrives Dr. Antommarchi • 1818: Also Dr. Antommarchi diagnoses illness to the liver: new cares • 1820: Despite the cares health worsens: fever, gengiviti, intestinal problems • Marc 1821: Napoleone is forced in bed: assumption of emetic tartar • May1821: Against to seem of Antommarchi, calomel is administered Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Napoleon at S. Helena island 5 May 1821 Death of Napoleon Bonaparte • 5 maggio: Autopsy of Antommarchi: chronic hepatitis and cancerous ulcer (hole 7 mm) • 5 e 6 maggio: Marchand cuts the hair of Napoleone to send to the famigliaris Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Poisoning Hypothesis Based to the symptoms Forshufvud in 1960 hypothesizes As chronic poisoning This hypothesis is based on various assumptions: Some found symptoms could be interpreted with assumption of As Napoleon surely had many enemies that wanted him dead Gen. Lowe head of the garrison to S. Helena Dr. Antommarchi physician of Napoleon Count of Motolon jealous for the relationships of Napoleon with his wife In 1840 the exhumed dead body was in perfect state of maintenance this would be justifiable with heavy assumptions of As The assumption of As from Napoleon has always been correlated to poisoning Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Poisoning Hypothesis Sponsored by Ben Weider numerous measurements were done to search As Various measurement techniques were used on Napoleon’s hairs NAA Harwell AAS FBI 12 ppm Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Poisoning Hypothesis The tapestry of Longwood House was also measured Values of 0.08 g cm -2 of As was found: forbidden values currently Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Our approach The starting point was: we would like to produce a clear result Specific rules were applied: Only certified materials were analyzed (museum) Hair of Napoleon at different ages were selected (child, Elba, S. Helena) Obtained data were compared with relatives (Aiglon,..) Actual hairs were used to set the sensitivity and to check the stability Measurements were performed with the best care Tecnical approach to the measurements: Nuclear Activation Analysis(NAA) Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Neutron Activation Analysis n A X A 1 X � A 1 Y * A 1 Y + + + � + � � �� � + � Z Z Z 1 Z 1 + + bombarding stable isotopes with thermal neutron they became radioactive using γ spectrometry these radioactive nuclei were measured samples are not destroyed by the analysis (we send back samples to museum) very high sensitivity to very low elemental concentration Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Used Instrumentation Neutron source: Triga Mark II Nuclear Reactor, LENA, Pavia Water moderated Stationary power at standard regime 250kW Nuclear Fuel UZrH enriched at 20% in 235 U Integral neutron flux in central channel~10 13 cm -2 s -1 Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Gamma spectroscopy HPGe detectors were used to high resolution γ rays spectroscopy Br82 Reference Spectrum Reference Spectrum As76 Sb122 Br82 As76 Sb122 Sample Spectrum Sample Spectrum Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Analized Samples Measurements were done on: 10 actual hairs (reference samples) 2 Aiglon’s hairs 1816 2 Aiglon’s hairs 1818 2 Aiglon’s hairs 1821 2 Aiglon’s hairs 1826 2 Josephine’s hairs 2 hairs of Napoleon child in Ajaccio 2 hairs of Napoleon exiled at Elba island 6 hairs of Napoleon death in S. Helena, 5 may 1821 2 hairs of Napoleon death in S. Helena, 6 may 1821 Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Samples preparation Each sample was washed to remove superficial impurities: Standard IAEA: washed with acetone, and 3 times in ultrapure water Measurements of samples masses: hair masses were very low and the measurements were very critical 400,00 Mass (microgram) Sample masses 300,00 200,00 100,00 0,00 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 1 6 0 2 2 6 6 1 1 6 6 a a 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 a a e e y y y y y y y y 1 c 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 c b b a a a a a a n n y y y y y y y y y a a 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 i i s s l l i i a a a a a a a a a y E m m m m m m m m E h h 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r r d a d d d d d d d d o o p p d n o o o o o o o o o n n n n n n n n n 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 C C e e T o o o o o T T T T T T T T o o o o o o s s a a a a a a a a T l l l l l l l l n n e e g g o o g g g g g g n n n n n n n n l l o o J J i i i i i i i i o o e e e e e e A A e e A A A A A A e e p p l l l l l l l l e e e e e e l l e e o o a a H H H H H H H H N N p p a a . . . . . . . . S S S S S S S S N N n n n n n n n n o o o o o o o o e e e e e e e e l l l l l l l l o o o o o o o o p p p p p p p p a a a a a a a a N N N N N N N N Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Measurements on actual hairs Today’s hairs were used for: determine measurement sensitivity direct control of each irradiation (2 modern hairs for each irradiation) determination of the actual concentration of As in hairs Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
Measurements on Aiglon’s hairs Measurements on Aiglon’s hairs were important to: determine As concentration in Napoleon’s contemporary estimate possible variation of the concentration on a long period of time compare the obtained values with the actual values Ezio Previtali Vulcano 2010 Workshop
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