Possibility of accelerated nuclear decay through neutron bombardment?

[TJ McCaustland]

Hello, I'm back after around three weeks vacation. And I had a thought, would it not be possible to cause rapid nuclear decay via controlled neutron bombardment, or basically controlled small scale nuclear detonations? because I know that all forms of radiation come from one specific element (Or many in the case of of molecules) having too much energy at the atomic level to be stable, so it emits excess energy in the form of Alpha (two protons two electrons) Beta (Similar to electrons) Gamma (extremely potent short wavelength) and x-ray (rather short wavelength), as well as in the form of neutrons. So given this information would neutron bombardment in short bursts cause an acceleration in the decay of radioactive elements and isotopes?

[Strange]

Basically, yes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_activation

[Sensei]

because I know that all forms of radiation come from one specific element (Or many in the case of of molecules) having too much energy at the atomic level to be stable, so it emits excess energy in the form of Alpha (two protons two electrons)

Alpha particle is Helium-4 nucleus, without electrons. Two protons and two neutrons.

 

Beta (Similar to electrons)

Beta particle is electron or positron. Typically accelerated to significant velocity.

[swansont]

would neutron bombardment in short bursts cause an acceleration in the decay of radioactive elements and isotopes?

 

Possibly; as you add neutrons there is a tendency for the half-life for beta decay to decrease. But you may also have more decays to reach stability, and you may activate stable isotopes and make them radioactive, as Strange's link explains.

[TJ McCaustland]

Sorry about the errors, I do realize that I was rather misinformed on radiation recently.