Search for β- and β-β- decays of 48Ca

A (CaCO3)-Ca-48 powder sample containing 20.18 g of Ca-48 was measured for 797 h with a 400 cm(3) low-background HPGe detector. New limits on decays of 48Ca were obtained. For single beta transitions to (SC)-S-48 the limits are equal to 0.71 x 10(20) y, 1.1 (X) 10(20) y, and 0.82 x 10(20) y for transitions to the ground state, excited 5(+) and 4(+) states, respectively. The new limits on double beta decay to excited states of Ti-48 are equal to 0.47 x 10(20) y, 1.1 x 10(20) y, and 0.90 x 10(20) y for transitions to the first 2(+), second 2(+) and first 0(+) excited states, respectively. All limits are given at the 90% CL. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.