Abstract. Accurate masses of radioactive nuclides are important for a better understanding of nuclear structure, as input for the modelling of element synthesis in nuclear astrophysics and for fundamental tests of the weak interaction. Today, a variety of techniques exists for direct mass measurements of unstable nuclides. A very powerful approach is the employment of Penning traps. Penning trap mass spectrometry offers unprecedented accuracy, and is now applied to nuclides with half-lives well below a tenth of a second and produced only in minute quantities. This paper discusses specific aspects of Penning trap mass spectrometry on rare isotopes and gives an overview of on-going activities. This includes LEBIT, a new project at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University.

Print publication: Issue 5 (14 March 2003)
Received 22 November 2002, in final form 14 January 2003
Published 24 February 2003