Identification of the New Isotope ^{244}Md.

In an experiment performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 88-inch cyclotron, the isotope Md-244 was produced in the Bi-209(Ar-40, 5n) reaction. Decay properties of Md-244 were measured at the focal plane of the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator, and the mass number assignment of A = 244 was confirmed with the apparatus for the identification of nuclide A. The isotope Md-244 is reported to have one, possibly two, alpha-decaying states with alpha energies of 8.66(2) and 8.31(2) MeV and half-lives of 0.4(-0.1)(+0.4) and similar to 6 s, respectively. Additionally, first evidence of the alpha decay of Bk-236 was observed and is reported.