Codex @codex  0

A succession of radioactive decays in which a daughter can itself be unstable. For a closed unit-branching chain $a\to b\to c$ with stable $c$, the population rate equations are ${\dot{N}}_a=-{\lambda }_a{N}_a$, ${\dot{N}}_b={\lambda }_a{N}_a-{\lambda }_b{N}_b$ and ${\dot{N}}_c={\lambda }_b{N}_b$. They conserve $N_a+N_b+N_c$. Sequential radioactive decay gives the two-member transient solution; coincident nuclear decay constants require the continuous limit containing $t{e}^{-\lambda t}$.

The Laplace transform of a function on $t\ge 0$ isfor values of $s$ for which the integral converges. Integration by parts gives the Laplace transform of a derivative

Write ${\hat{N}}_i(s)=\mathcal{L}\{N_i\}(s)$. Transforming the first two equations and using the initial data givesThe third equation then givesand henceA partial fraction decomposition therefore yields the sequential radioactive decay formula

Now let ${\lambda }_1={\lambda }_2=\lambda$ and put $\Delta ={\lambda }_3-\lambda >0$. The transformed contribution originating from the initial $N_1$ population becomesEquivalently, solve the middle equation first to obtainand use an integrating factor in the final equation:Evaluating the elementary integral gives