On the difference between proton and neutron spin-orbit splittings in nuclei

The latest experimental data on nuclei at ¹³²Sn permit us for the first time to determine the spin-orbit splittings of neutrons and protons in identical orbits in this neutron-rich doubly magic region and compare the case to that of ²⁰⁸Pb. Using the new results, which are now consistent for the two neutron-rich doubly magic regions, a theoretical analysis defines the isotopic dependence of the mean-field spin-orbit potential and leads to a simple explicit expression for the difference between the spin-orbit splittings of neutrons and protons. The isotopic dependence is explained in the framework of different theoretical approaches. Received: 13 February 2002 / Accepted: 20 February 2002     

Status and prospects of synthesizing superheavy elements

The nuclear shell model predicts that the next doubly magic shell-closure beyond ²⁰⁸Pb is at a proton number between Z = 114 and 126 and at a neutron number N = 184. The outstanding aim of experimental investigations is the exploration of this region of spherical “Superheavy Elements”. This article describes the experiments that were performed at the GSI SHIP. They resulted in an unambiguous identification of elements 107 to 112. They were negative so far in searching for elements 113, 116 and 118 at SHIP; however, positive results were reported from experiments in Dubna on elements 114 and 116 and from experiments in Berkeley on element 118. The measured decay data are compared with theoretical predictions. Some aspects concerning the reaction mechanism and the use of radioactive beams are also presented. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: S.Hofmann@gsi.de     

A new measurement of 208Tl levels

A new determination for the levels of the nucleus ²⁰⁸Tl was performed by measuring the γ-rays following the β^--decay of ²⁰⁸Hg. Twenty-six γ-rays were assigned and three new levels of ²⁰⁸Tl at 1.728 MeV, 1.652 MeV and 1.362 MeV have been affirmed. A partial ²⁰⁸Hg decaying γ scheme was proposed. The experimental level structure was compared with a shell model calculation. Received: 12 August 2002 / Accepted: 19 December 2002 / Published online: 25 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: Li41zhang@yahoo.com Communicated by W. Henning     

High-spin states in 208Pb

High-spin states in ²⁰⁸Pb have been studied by γ-ray-spectroscopy methods in deep inelastic reactions induced by beams of ²⁰⁸Pb, ¹³⁶Xe and ⁷⁶Ge beams on a thick ²⁰⁸Pb target. The 11⁺ ₂ state and new γ-transitions between the one-particle one-hole states of highest spin have been found and electromagnetic matrix elements verified. High-spin states of two-particle two-hole structure have been detected for the first time. The results are compared to shell model calculations with realistic interactions in the complete Kuo-Herling space. Received: 31 October 2000 / Accepted: 26 March 2001     

New results on elements 111 and 112

Experiments on the synthesis and identification of the nuclei ²⁷²111 and ²⁷⁷112 were performed in order to confirm previous results. Three additional decay chains were measured in the reaction ⁶⁴Ni + ²⁰⁹Bi →²⁷³111^*. The study revealed considerably improved data on the decay chain originating from ²⁷²111. One additional chain was measured in the reaction ⁷⁰Zn + ²⁰⁸Pb →²⁷⁸112^*. The decay properties of the chain starting at ²⁷⁷112 are in excellent agreement with the second chain of the first experiment down to ²⁶⁵Sg, where the new chain ends by a previously unknown spontaneous-fission branch. A re-analysis of all the data on elements 110, 111, and 112 measured at GSI since 1994 (a total of 34 decay chains was investigated) revealed that for 2 chains (the second chain of ²⁶⁹110 measured in 1994 and the first chain of ²⁷⁷112 measured in 1996) the results of the new analysis differed from the previous one. In all other cases the earlier data are exactly reproduced. Received: 21 December 2001 / Accepted: 15 January 2002     

Spontaneous-fission decay properties and production cross-sections for the neutron-deficient nobelium isotopes formed in the 44, 48Ca + 204, 206, 208Pb reactions

Heavy-ion fusion reactions ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁰⁴Pb and ⁴⁴Ca + ²⁰⁸Pb leading to the same compound nucleus ²⁵²No^* were run in attempts to produce new neutron-deficient spontaneous-fission isotopes of ^249,250No using the electrostatic separator VASSILISSA. Production cross-sections for the spontaneous-fission activities with the half-lives 5.6 and 54 μs observed in these reactions are compared with the measured ones for the well-known isotopes of ^{251 - 255}No formed in the heavy-ion fusion reactions ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁰⁶Pb and ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁰⁸Pb. The obtained excitation functions for the reaction products formed after the evaporation of 1-4 neutrons from the corresponding compound No nuclei have been compared with similar data obtained earlier and results of statistical model calculations. Received: 26 July 2002 / Accepted: 5 November 2002 / Published online: 18 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: eremin@sunvas.jinr.ru Communicated by J. ?yst?     

The neutron and proton two-particle nucleus 134Sb: New low-spin states observed in the decay of 134Sn and an estimate of the energy of the 7- isomer

Excited states in the ¹³⁴Sb nucleus, populated in the β^--decay of ¹³⁴Sn, have been studied at the mass separator OSIRIS. The ¹³⁴Sn activity was produced via fast neutron-induced fission of ²³⁸U target. A main result was the discovery of a very low-lying first-excited state of ¹³⁴Sb, at 13keV, which has led to a strong revision of the level scheme. The new results are compared with different theoretical calculations and with the known data for the analogous neutron and proton two-particle nucleus in the ²⁰⁸Pb region. On the basis of this comparison, the energy of the ( πg _7/2νf _7/2)_7- isomer is estimated to be about 250keV, some 100keV lower than previously reported. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: anovak@fuw.edu.pl     

Nuclear-matter distributions of halo nuclei from elastic proton scattering in inverse kinematics

Proton-nucleus elastic scattering at intermediate energies, a well-established method for probing nuclear-matter density distributions of stable nuclei, was applied for the first time to exotic nuclei. This method is demonstrated to be an effective means for obtaining accurate and detailed information on the size and radial shape of halo nuclei. Absolute differential cross-sections for small-angle scattering were measured at energies near 700 MeV/u for the neutron-rich helium isotopes ⁶He and ⁸He, and more recently for the lithium isotopes ⁶Li, ⁸Li, ⁹Li and ¹¹Li, using He and Li beams provided by the fragment separator FRS at GSI Darmstadt. Experiments were performed in inverse kinematics using the hydrogen-filled ionization chamber IKAR which served simultaneously as target and recoil-proton detector. For deducing nuclear-matter distributions, differential cross-sections calculated with the aid of the Glauber multiple-scattering theory, using various parametrizations for the nucleon density distributions as input, were fitted to the experimental cross-sections. The results on nuclear-matter radii and matter distributions are presented, and the significance of the data for a halo structure is discussed. Nuclear-matter distributions obtained for ⁶He and ⁸He conform with the concept that both nuclei compose of α-particle like cores and significant neutron halos. The matter distribution in ¹¹Li exhibits, as expected from previous reaction cross-section studies with nuclear targets, the by far most extended halo component of all nuclei being investigated. In addition the present data allow a quantitative comparison of the structure of the He and Li isobares of either the mass number A = 6 or A = 8. The measured differential cross-sections have also been used for probing density distributions as predicted from various microscopic calculations. A few examples are presented. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: p.egelhof@gsi.de     

New results on proton emission from odd-odd nuclei

⁷⁸Kr beams were used to bombard ⁵⁸Ni, ⁹²Mo and ⁹⁶Ru, producing three new, odd-odd, proton-emitting isotopes, ¹³⁰Eu, ^164mIr and ¹⁷⁰Au. Preliminary experimental and theoretical results will be presented in this paper. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: mahmud@ph.ed.ac.uk     

High-resolution in-beam particle spectroscopy --New results on prompt proton emission from 58Cu

Prompt proton decay lines in ⁵⁸Cu have been studied by means of high-resolution in-beam particle-γ coincidence spectroscopy using the GAMMASPHERE Ge-detector array in conjunction with a dedicated set of ancillary detectors including four ΔE-E silicon-strip telescopes. High-spin states in ⁵⁸Cu have been populated via the heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reaction ²⁸Si(³⁶Ar, 1α1p1n) at 148 MeV beam energy. The full-width at half maximum for the proton peak could be reduced significantly compared to earlier experiments. The results indicate that only one prompt proton decay branch exists in the decay-out of the well-deformed band of ⁵⁸Cu. Received: 11 March 2002 / Accepted: 10 April 2002     

High-spin study of odd- A 49In isotopes beyond the neutron mid-shell

The ^{115, 117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in three reactions induced by heavy ions: ¹²C + ²³⁸U at 90MeV bombarding energy, ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb reaction at 85MeV, and ³¹P + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 152MeV. Their level schemes have been built from gamma-rays detected using the EUROBALL III and IV arrays. High-spin states of ^{117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been identified for the first time. Moreover, isomeric states lying around 2.5MeV have been established in ^{119, 121}In from the delayed coincidences between the fission fragment detector SAPhIR and the gamma array. Most of the observed states can be described by coupling a proton g _9/2 hole to a Sn core, while the intruder band based on an orbital from the π[g _7/2/d _5/2] sub-shells behaves as the ground-state band of neighbouring Cd isotopes. Received: 24 May 2002 / Accepted: 11 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CEA-DIF, DAM/DCRE/SDE/LDN, 91680 Bruyères-le-Chatel, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/Saclay, DSM/DAPNIA/SPhN, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Approximation of photonuclear interaction cross-sections

Photonuclear interaction cross-sections from the GEANT4 database are approximated for all nuclei and all energies (from the hadron production threshold to about 40 TeV). The approximation methods in the giant-dipole resonance region, nucleon resonance region, and high-energy region are improved with respect to existing approximations. As an application of the approximation for photonuclear cross-sections, an improved method of calculating electronuclear cross-sections is developed. The interaction cross-section of virtual photons with nuclei at high Q² are approximated and a simple algorithm for describing the electronuclear reactions, including high-Q² scattering, is proposed. Received: 22 February 2002 / Accepted: 6 May 2002     

Inelastic scattering on 12Be and disappearance of the N = 8 magic number

Experimental studies on in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy using a ¹²Be radioactive beam are presented. Inelastic scattering of the neutron-rich ¹²Be nucleus on ²⁰⁸Pb, ¹²C, and (CH₂)_n targets has been studied by measuring de-excitation γ-rays in coincidence with scattered particles. The level schemes and transition probabilities are determined for low-lying excited states in ¹²Be. The present paper presents a brief review of the spectroscopic results, which may be associated with the N = 8 shell quenching near the drip line. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

High-spin states in neutron-rich nuclei explored with deep-inelastic HI reactions

The use of deep-inelastic heavy-ion reactions for the spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclei is discussed. Conclusions from the N/Z equilibration process studies are outlined and examples of spectroscopic results obtained for the neutron-rich spdf shell nuclei, N = 82 isotones and nuclei from the ²⁰⁸Pb region are reviewed. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Quadrupole moments of superdeformed bands in 193Tl

Lifetimes of states in the two strongest superdeformed (SD) bands in ¹⁹³Tl were measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. The reaction ¹⁷⁶Yb(²³Na,6n)¹⁹³Tl at a beam energy of 129 MeV was used and γ-rays were detected by the Gammasphere array. Quadrupole moments of 18.3(10) eb and 17.4(10) eb were extracted for SD bands 1 and 2, respectively, using the fractional Doppler-shifts of the SD transitions. The previously reported linking transitions of these SD bands to normal deformed near yrast levels could not be confirmed. No other candidates for linking transitions could be established. Received: 27 April 1999     

Evidence for excited states in 95Ag

The first evidence for excited states in ⁹⁵Ag is presented. ⁹⁵Ag is the heaviest T _z = 1/2 nucleus for which gamma-rays have been identified. The reaction ⁴⁰Ca(⁵⁸Ni, 1p2n)⁹⁵Ag was used in the experiment, which resulted in the assignment of three gamma-rays to ⁹⁵Ag. A detector system consisting of the detector arrays Euroball, Neutron Wall and Euclides was used to detect gamma-rays, neutrons and charged particles, respectively. Received: 31 May 2002 / Accepted: 8 July 2002     

Hole doping by Li substitution and antiferromagnetism in YBa Cu O studied by neutron powder diffraction measurements

The magnetic structure of tetragonal insulating YBa₂Cu_3-xLi_xO_y has been studied as a function of x and y. The Néel temperature and the mean ordered magnetic moment on the Cu2 sites were determined by neutron powder diffraction measurements. The decrease of these two parameters as compared to YBa₂Cu₃O₆ is much stronger for lithium than for zinc substitution. The difference is quantitatively explained by the presence of holes created in the CuO₂ planes. These holes arise from the substitution of plane Cu²⁺ by Li⁺. We suggest an explanation why such holes are not seen for the same substitution of plane Cu²⁺ by Li⁺ in orthorhombic superconducting YBa₂Cu_3-xLi_xO _{7 - δ} . Received 31 October 2001 and Received in final form 6 March 2002 Published online 25 June 2002     

Multiple Coulomb excitation of a 70Ge beam and the interpretation of the 02 + state as a deformed intruder

Electromagnetic properties of the low-lying states in a ⁷⁰Ge nucleus were studied through the multiple Coulomb excitation of a ⁷⁰Ge beam with a ^natPb target. Relative γ-ray intensities were measured as a function of emission angle relative to the scattered projectile. Sixteen E2 matrix elements, including diagonal ones, for 6 low-lying states have been determined using the least-squares search code GOSIA. The expectation values 〈Q ²〉 of 0₁ ⁺ and 0₂ ⁺ states in ⁷⁰Ge are compared with those in ^{72, 74, 76}Ge. Simple mixing calculations indicate that the 0₂ ⁺ states in ⁷⁰Ge and ⁷²Se can be treated as deformed intruder states. It is shown that the deformed intruder becomes the ground state in ⁷⁴Kr. These interpretations of the 0₂ ⁺ states in this region are compared with the potential-energy surface calculations by the Nilsson-Strutinsky model, which allow to interpret the experimental results in a qualitative way from the theoretical point of view. Received: 2 September 2002 / Accepted: 5 November 2002 / Published online: 25 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: sugawara@pf.it-chiba.ac.jp Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Single-particle quadrupole electromagnetic transitions in p-shell and sd-shell nuclei

Electron scattering Coulomb form factors for the single-particle quadrupole transitions in p-shell and sd-shell nuclei have been studied. Core polarization effects are included through a microscopic theory that includes excitations from the core orbits up to higher orbits with 2ω excitations. The modified surface delta interaction is adopted as a residual interaction. The results are discussed for the ( 1p _1/2 ^-1↦1p _3/2 ^-1) proton transition in ¹⁵N, ( 1d _5/2↦2s _1/2) neutron transition in ¹⁷O and ( 1d _3/2 ^-1↦2s _1/2 ^-1) proton transition in ³⁹K. The inclusion of core polarization effects modifies the form factors markedly and describes the experimental data very well in both the absolute strength and the momentum transfer dependence. Received: 18 April 2002 / Accepted: 1 July 2002 / Published online: 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: baguniv@uruklink.net Communicated by A. Molinari