Editing Manganese (section)

===Isotopes===
{{Main|Isotopes of manganese}}
Naturally occurring manganese is composed of one stable [[isotope]], <sup>55</sup>Mn. Several [[radioisotope]]s have been isolated and described, ranging in [[atomic weight]] from 46&nbsp;[[atomic mass unit|u]] (<sup>46</sup>Mn) to 72&nbsp;u (<sup>72</sup>Mn). The most stable are <sup>53</sup>Mn with a [[half-life]] of 3.7&nbsp;million years, <sup>54</sup>Mn with a half-life of 312.2&nbsp;days, and <sup>52</sup>Mn with a half-life of 5.591&nbsp;days. All of the remaining [[radioactive]] isotopes have half-lives of less than three hours, and the majority of less than one minute. The primary [[decay mode]] in isotopes lighter than the most abundant stable isotope, <sup>55</sup>Mn, is [[electron capture]], and the primary mode in heavier isotopes is [[beta decay]].<ref name="Audi" /> Manganese also has three [[meta state]]s.<ref name="Audi">{{NUBASE2016}}</ref>

Manganese is part of the [[iron group]] of elements, which are thought to be synthesized in large [[star]]s shortly before the [[supernova]] explosion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/galaxy-s-brightest-explosions-go-nuclear-unexpected-trigger-pairs-dead-stars |title=The galaxy's brightest explosions go nuclear with an unexpected trigger: pairs of dead stars |work=Science |last=Clery |first=Daniel |date=4 June 2020 |access-date=26 July 2021 }}</ref> <sup>53</sup>Mn decays to <sup>53</sup>Cr with a half-life of 3.7&nbsp;million years. Because of its short half-life, <sup>53</sup>Mn is relatively rare; it is produced by the impact of [[cosmic rays]] on [[iron]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Schaefer |first1=Jeorg|last2=Faestermann |first2=Thomas |title=Terrestrial manganese-53 – A new monitor of Earth surface processes |journal=Earth and Planetary Science Letters|volume=251|issue=3–4 |pages=334–345|date=2006 |doi=10.1016/j.epsl.2006.09.016 |bibcode=2006E&PSL.251..334S |last3=Herzog |first3=Gregory F. |last4=Knie |first4=Klaus |last5=Korschinek |first5=Gunther |last6=Masarik |first6=Jozef |last7=Meier |first7=Astrid |last8=Poutivtsev |first8=Michail |last9=Rugel |first9=Georg |last10=Schlüchter |first10=Christian |last11=Serifiddin |first11=Feride |last12=Winckler |first12=Gisela}}</ref> Manganese isotopic contents are typically combined with [[chromium]] isotopic contents and have found application in [[isotope geology]] and [[radiometric dating]]. Mn–Cr isotopic ratios reinforce the evidence from [[Aluminium-26|<sup>26</sup>Al]] and [[Palladium-107|<sup>107</sup>Pd]] for the early history of the [[Solar System]]. Variations in <sup>53</sup>Cr/<sup>52</sup>Cr and Mn/Cr ratios from several [[meteorite]]s suggest an initial <sup>53</sup>Mn/<sup>55</sup>Mn ratio, which indicate that Mn–Cr isotopic composition must result from ''in situ'' decay of <sup>53</sup>Mn in differentiated planetary bodies. Hence, <sup>53</sup>Mn provides additional evidence for [[nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthetic]] processes immediately before the coalescence of the Solar System.<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S0016-7037(99)00312-9 |title=53Mn-53Cr evolution of the early solar system|year=1999|last1=Birck|first1=J. |last2=Rotaru|last3=Allègre|journal=Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta|volume=63|pages=4111–4117|first2=M.|first3=C.|bibcode=1999GeCoA..63.4111B |issue=23–24}}|{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00189-6|title=Early solar system timescales according to 53Mn-53Cr systematics |year=1998|last1=Lugmair |first1=G.|journal=Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta|volume=62|pages=2863–2886|bibcode=1998GeCoA..62.2863L|issue=16 |last2=Shukolyukov |first2=A.}}|{{cite journal|doi=10.1023/A:1005243228503|title=On The 53Mn Heterogeneity In The Early Solar System|year=2000|last1=Shukolyukov|first1=Alexander|last2=Lugmair |journal=Space Science Reviews|volume=92|pages=225–236|first2=Günter W.|bibcode=2000SSRv...92..225S}}|{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.gca.2008.03.023|title=53Mn–53Cr systematics of the early Solar System revisited|year=2008|last1=Trinquier|first1=A. |last2=Birck|last3=Allègre|last4=Göpel|last5=Ulfbeck |journal=Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta|volume=72|pages=5146–5163|first2=J.|first3=C. |first4=C.|first5=D.|bibcode=2008GeCoA..72.5146T |issue=20}}}}</ref>