Physics of rare events insights on Napoleon death

Physics of rare events: insights on Napoleon death Ettore Fiorini LNGS NOW , Sept. 7, 2008 First => A justification Searches for rare events to be carried out underground and under low environmental and “internal” radioactivity Suppression of the background E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 1

How to rekognize the presence of few disturbing elements If they are radioactive => a and g ray spectroscopy, ICPMS Neutron Activation Analysis Could sometimes reach the best sensitivity E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 2

Application to Roman Lead is an excellent shielding material: High atomic number Reasonable mechanical properties Reasonable cost It contains however 210 Pb b active with an half lifetime of 22. 3 years Especially dangerous for searches on WIMPS. Low energy counting rates No presence of 210 Pb < 4 m Bq/kg) , what about U and Th ? With neutron activation analysis < 10 -12 g/g Particularly sensitive to search for As only stable isotope 75 As sthermal neutrons = 4. 3 barns => 76 As => beta t = 26. 3 d and emission of a 559. 1 ke. V g ray

The use of our powerful method to investigate the presence of arsenic in hairs of historical origin Arsenic, like other heavy metals concentrates in hairs Its presence used in criminology. Many previous measurements on Napoleon hairs => poor instrumentation and often inconclusive result High school remembrance of Alessandro Manzoni Il cinque maggio The fifth of May . . e i dì nell'ozio chiuse in sì breve sponda, segno d'immensa invidia e di pietà profonda, d'inestinguibil odio e d'indomato amor. . and his idle days closed in such a short site, target of immense envy and of deep pity, of unchanged hate and of untamable love E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 4

Saint Helene E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 5

Previous measurements Assasination strongly substained by B. Weider and P. Hapgood initially based on Neutron activation measurements at Harwell on suggestion of S. Forthuvud 10 – 38 ppm of As , later 11 – 3 ppm and time distribution (no error) E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 6

Later negative measurements Measurement on the tapisserie of the Longwood House X-ray fluorescence analysis on the paper on the walls 0. 08 g cm-2 a value presently non acceptable E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 7

Other negative results Neutron activation (2. 5 x 10 11 n cm-2 s-1 for 15 hours) with g ray spectroscopy => 1. 4 ± 1. 2 ppm. Assumes no poisoning Neutron activation with g ray spectroscopy => Elba Isle 1. 85 ±. 11 ppm. => Saint Helene 3. 5 ± 0. 18 ppm and 33. 3 ± 0. 2. 2 ppm (bad treatment) A living man and woman 32 ± 3 and 33 ± 2 ppb Assumes no poisoning Neutron activation with g ray spectroscopy (Saclay, unpublished) => Saint Helene Two hairs with an average of 4. 5 ppm B. Weider insists Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (P. Kinz) => 6. 99 – 58. 53 ppm FBI (neutron activation analysis on two hairs ) => 33. 3 and 14 ppm E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 8

Our experiment (strongly suported by INFN) A multisciplinary research group The same precision as in neutrino physics Only hystorical material from certified institutions Mainly during vacations (with the exclusion of neutron activation) Massimiliano Clemenza, Ettore Fiorini, Laura Guerra, Costanza Herborg, Massimo Labra, Edoardo Orvini, Adalberto Piazzoli, Ezio Previtali, Francesco Puggioni, Angela Santagostino -Fundamental physics – Neutron activation – Toxicologists – Hystorian -All neutron activations carried out at the TRIGA Mark II of the Laboratorio di Energia Nucleare Applicata of the Pavia University -(thermal neutron flux of 1. 2 1013 n cm-2 s-1 - g ray spectroscopy in Milano-Bicocca and Pavia and measurement of the hair mass in Milano-Bicocca E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 9

Hystorical materials used in this search From the Napoleonic (Rome), Glauco Lombardi (Parma) and Malmaison (Paris) Museums Capello Massa (mg) Odierno 1 Odierno 2 Odierno 3 Odierno 4 Odierno 5 Odierno 6 Odierno 7 Odierno 8 Odierno 9 Odierno 10 Aiglon 1812 1 Aiglon 1812 2 Aiglon 1816 1 Aiglon 1816 2 Aiglon 1821 1 Aiglon 1821 2 0, 122 0, 112 0, 096 0, 138 0, 220 0, 066 0, 118 0. 126 0, 148 0, 230 0, 106 0, 088 0, 132 0, 104 0, 078 0, 060 Capello Massa (mg) Aiglon 1826 1 Aiglon 1826 2 Napoleone Corsica 1 Napoleone Corsica 2 Napoleone Elba 1 Napoleone Elba 2 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 1 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 2 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 3 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 4 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 5 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 6 Napoleone S. Elena 6 maggio 1 Napoleone S. Elena 6 maggio 2 Josephine 1 Josephine 2 E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 0, 138 0, 108 0, 180 0, 274 0, 232 0. 188 0, 126 0, 166 0, 090 0, 130 0, 224 0, 148 0, 254 0, 328 0, 268 0, 294 10

Certified calibrated standards have been used E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 11

Measurements on the As content in the hairs of a living subject, and comparison with the content in the hairs of the Aiglon and of Empress Josephine Capello contemporaneo As(in 10 -2 ppm) Odierno 1 8, 6 ±, 9 Odierno 2 5, 6 ± 1, 8 Odierno 3 11, 0 ± 3, 5 Odierno 4 12, 4 ± 3, 9 Odierno 5 2, 4 ± 1, 1 Odierno 6 7, 1 ± 2, 8 Odierno 7 5, 4 ± 1, 7 Odierno 8 4, 0 ± 1, 4 Odierno 9 4, 3 ± 3, 1 Odierno 10 4, 8 ± 2 Aignon and Josephine As (in ppm) Aiglon 1812 - 1 Aiglon 1812 - 2 Aiglon 1816 - 1 Aiglon 1816 - 2 Aiglon 1821 - 1 Aiglon 1821 - 2 Aiglon 1826 - 1 Aiglon 1826 - 2 Josephine - 1 Josephine – 2 9, 4 ± 1, 0 6, 1 ± 0, 6 12, 6 ± 1, 3 9, 9 ± 1, 0 9, 9 ± 1, 1 11, 2 ± 1, 3 7, 6 ± 0, 8 8, 5 ± 0, 9 0, 8 ± 0, 4 1, 2 ± 0, 5 E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 12

Arsenic in the hairs of the Emperor Capello As (in ppm) Corsica 1770 – 1 Corsica 1770 - 2 Elba 1814 – 1 Elba 1814 - 2 S. Elena 5 maggio 1821 - 1 S. Elena 5 maggio 1821 - 2 S. Elena 5 maggio 1821 - 3 S. Elena 5 maggio 1821 - 4 S. Elena 5 maggio 1821 - 5 S. Elena 5 maggio 1821 - 6 S. Elena 6 maggio 1821 - 1 S. Elena 6 maggio 1821 – 2 8. 3± 0, 9 6, 3 ± 0, 7 4, 4 ± 0, 5 3, 5 ± 0, 4 13, 1 ± 1, 3 16, 7 ± 1, 7 14, 2 ± 1, 4 17, 0 ± 1, 7 15, 4 ± 2, 3 18, 9 ± 2, 2 15, 2 ± 2, 0 9, 7 ± 1, E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 13

Change of the contamination along the hair (the mass has decreased due to irradiation) Frammento 2 A 2 B 2 C 2 D 2 E 2 F Massa (mg) 0, 012 0, 026 0, 032 0, 026 As (in ppm) 27, 6 ± 3, 0 22, 0 ± 2, 5 21, 4 ± 2, 5 17, 5 ± 2, 0 16, 6 ± 1, 9 20, 7 ± 2, 4 E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 14

Arsenic content in the water of the spring liked by the Emperor (near his first grave) E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 15

Aliquote campioni As (μg/L) N. 1 1, 0000 N. 2 1, 5000 N. 3 2, 0000 N. 4 1, 2500 N. 5 1, 1000 N. 6 0, 8000 media 1, 28 ±. 43 Limite attualmente accettato 10 More recently: Napoleon strikes again! Large impact in the national and international press Recent paper on the New York Times E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 16

Hair Analysis Deflates Napoleon Poisoning Theories Was Napoleon poisoned? now, a team of scientists at Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Milan-Bicocca and Pavia has uncovered strong evidence to the contrary. Contact with many toxicologists and with prof. A. Lugli Very precise pathological analysis Change of the weight with time from 12 samples of trousers (checked with volunteers) Connection of the weight with subcutaneous fat from authopsy of 270 patients Comparison of pictures of gastric lesions and other features of patients dyying of cancer with the very detailed authopsy of Francesco Antonmarchi (pupil of the famous Giuseppe Macagni of Siena University) In conclusion, we believe that the original autopsy findings and our analysis of Napoleon’s lifetime weight changes provide strong support for the hypothesis that Napoleon’s final defeat was caused by gastric cancer. E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 17

E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 18

Conclusions Our measurements on hairs of presently living people indicate a presence of arsenic two order of magnitude less than those of hystorical people The procedure to attribute the large amount of Arsenic in Napoleon hairs to state his poisoning is wrong The arsenic presence in the larger sample of hairs of Napoleon after his death ever measured is in agreement among the various components and comparable to those measured in the King of Rome in four different period of his life The concentration of arsenic in Napoleon hairs in Saint Helene is larger than he was in in the Elba Isle , but is not such to justify the criminal hypothesis which would require a concentration of 45 ppm or larger. This is confirmed by the concentration with time along one hair and indicate a cronic exposure due to environmental reasons Previous and present detailed clinical analisis strongly confirm our results E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 19

E. Fiorini, NOW, Otranto Sept. 7, 2008 20