The half-lives of ${}_{}{}^{171}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ta}$ and ${}_{}{}^{172}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ta}$ were determined. The nuclides were produced by the spallation reaction ${}_{}{}^{181}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ta}\mathrm{}(p,pxn)\mathrm{}$ at a proton bombarding energy of 450 MeV. The half-life of ${}_{}{}^{171}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ta}$ was found to be 23.3 ± 0.3 min, in good agreement with the literature value. A previously unreported $\gamma$ ray at 1087 keV is probably assignable to ${}_{}{}^{171}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ta}$ decay. The half-life of ${}_{}{}^{172}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ta}$ was found to be 36.7 ± 0.4 min.

• Received 16 June 1972

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.6.1898