Structure of light neutron-rich nuclei through coulomb dissociation

Coulomb breakup of neutron-rich nuclei around mass A ∼ 20 has been studied experimentally using secondary beams (∼ 500–600 MeV/u) of unstable nuclei produced at GSI. The spectroscopic factor deduced for the neutron occupying s _1/2 level in ¹⁵C ground state is consistent with the earlier reported value. The data analysis for Coulomb breakup of ¹⁷C shows that most of the cross section yields the ¹⁶C core in its excited state. For ^17–22O, the low-lying E1 strength amounts up to about 12% of the energy weighted dipole sum rule strength depending on neutron excess. The cluster sum rule limit with ¹⁶O as a core is almost exhausted for ^17,18O, while for more neutron rich isotopes the strength with respect to that limit decreases.     

Neutron halo isomers in stable nuclei and their possible application for the production of low energy, pulsed, polarized neutron beams of high intensity and high brilliance

We propose to search for neutron halo isomers populated via γ-capture in stable nuclei with mass numbers of about A=140–180 or A=40–60, where the 4s _1/2 or 3s _1/2 neutron shell model state reaches zero binding energy. These halo nuclei can be produced for the first time with new γ-beams of high intensity and small band width (≤0.1%) achievable via Compton back-scattering off brilliant electron beams, thus offering a promising perspective to selectively populate these isomers with small separation energies of 1 eV to a few keV. Similar to single-neutron halo states for very light, extremely neutron-rich, radioactive nuclei (Hansen et al. in Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 45:591–634, 1995; Tanihata in J. Phys. G., Nucl. Part. Phys. 22:158–198, 1996; Aumann et al. in Phys. Rev. Lett. 84:35, 2000), the low neutron separation energy and short-range nuclear force allow the neutron to tunnel far out into free space much beyond the nuclear core radius. This results in prolonged half-lives of the isomers for the γ-decay back to the ground state in the 100 ps-μs range. Similar to the treatment of photodisintegration of the deuteron, the neutron release from the neutron halo isomer via a second, low-energy, intense photon beam has a known much larger cross section with a typical energy threshold behavior. In the second step, the neutrons can be released as a low-energy, pulsed, polarized neutron beam of high intensity and high brilliance, possibly being much superior to presently existing beams from reactors or spallation neutron sources.     

Anomalies in orientation interaction of slow neutrons with nuclei and the problem of neutron molecule existence

Based on the Dirac equation, the features of long-range electromagnetic orientational interaction of slow neutrons with even-even and even-odd nuclei are considered. This interaction is controlled by a narrow potential barrier arranged beyond the nucleus. The barrier height is U _tot = 20–40 eV and depends on Z, A, and the nucleus magnetic moment μ_nucl. The barrier formation is associated with the ponderomotive nonlinear interaction of the anomalous neutron moment with the nucleus electric field. The barrier transparency for thermal neutrons is D(E) ≈ 0.8–0.95. For cold neutrons, the barrier transparency and their reaction cross sections with nuclei sharply decrease and, at E → 0, their cross sections tend toward zero. It was shown that the combined effect of the magnetic dipole-dipole and ponderomotive interaction of the neutron and even-odd nucleus results in the formation of removed symmetrically positioned potential wells for neutrons beyond the nucleus. The presence of these wells results in the possible existence of short-lived or virtual nucleus-neutron molecules and the “neutron halo” effect beyond the nucleus.     

Shell effects for isovector <Emphasis Type="Italic">l</Emphasis>-forbidden <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>1 transitions in odd nuclei

It is inferred from the analysis of the experimental data that the reduced probabilities of isovector l-forbidden M1 transitions achieve maximum values in nuclei with a magic core. The minimum values are related to γ transitions in nuclei belonging to the region of stable deformation with A ≈ 25. Isovector l-forbidden M1 transitions in mirror nuclei are explored. The ratio of the reduced probabilities for proton and neutron transitions shows the maximum deviation from the theoretical evaluations for the pair of nuclei ⁴¹Ca-⁴¹Sc consisting of the even-even magic core ⁴⁰Ca and one nucleon outside the closed 1d2s shell.     

Indication for hyperdeformed cluster states in <Superscript>233</Superscript>Th

An activation technique was used to investigate relative yields of fission products from the reaction ²³²Th(n, f ) for neutron energies between 1.3 and 1.8MeV covering the region around the first hyperdeformed resonances. Intensities of characteristic γ-ray transitions were analyzed to search for changes in the mass distribution for neutron energies corresponding to the resonances and below the resonances. Relative increases in yield between 7 and 23% are observed for A ≈ 100 and 132 in the resonance region around 1.6MeV. It is proposed that the yield enhancement of daughter nuclei of the preformed fragments ¹³²Sn and ¹⁰¹Zr arises from cold fission of a di-cluster configuration. The experimental results support theoretical predictions for the existence of hyperdeformed octupole shapes based on the di-nuclear configuration ¹³²Sn + ¹⁰¹Zr.     

Structure of 3P size resonance in neutron strength functions

Neutron capture cross sections of 21 nuclei have been determined using the activation technique and an antimony-beryllium photoneutron source. The nuclei have been selected in the mass range 60 < A < 140 so as to cover the 3P size resonance region of neutron strength functions. Using the latest available data on the low energy resonance parameters, the P-wave neutron strength functions of the 21 isotopes are extracted, and found to be in general agreement with similar isotopic values reported in literature. The values of experimental P-wave neutron strength functions in the 3P resonance region (60 < A < 140) are compared on the one hand with the theoretical predictions of Fiedeldey and Frahn and on the other with those of Buck and Perey. The shape and structure of the 3P size resonance, as revealed experimentally, are found to agree better with the predictions of Fiedeldey and Frahn, who assumed twice the normal spin-orbit force in their calculations.     

The phenomenon of nucleon emission at high angular momentum states of fused compound systems

Nucleon emission from high spin fused compound systems is analyzed in the framework of the statistical theory of hot rotating (STHR) nuclei. This is an elaborate version of our earlier work and we present our results for¹⁵⁶Er,¹⁶⁶Er,¹⁶⁸ Yb and¹⁸⁸Hg. We predict an increase in neutron emission for¹⁶⁶Er due to the abrupt decrease in neutron separation energy aroundI ≈55ℏ. Since the drop in the separation energy is closely associated with the structural changes in the rotating nuclei, relative increase in neutron emission probability around certain values of angular momentum may be construed as evidence for the shape transition. A similar effect is predicted for¹⁶⁸Yb aroundI ≈55ℏ. We also extend the microscopic cranked Nilsson method (CNM) to hot nuclear systems and compare the results with that of the STHR method. The two methods yield different results for triaxially deformed nuclei although for biaxial deformations the results are identical. This is illustrated for¹⁸⁶Hg.     

Nuclear compressibility and its effect on nuclear binding energies from the study of muonic atoms

The variation of nuclear parameter with mass number elicits information about nuclear compressibility. Analysis of muonic x-ray transitions provides an elegant method to investigate the behaviour of the nuclear parameterr ₀. It is observed from the behaviour ofr ₀ that nuclei in the regionA⩽70 are highly compressible while those in the regionA∼210 are almost incompressible. The behaviour ofr ₀ is incorporated into the semi-empirical mass formula through the Coulomb energy term. From the modified mass formula thus obtained binding energies of about 440 spherical nuclei have been calculated. The results suggest that nuclear compressibility imposes certain relationship between excess binding energies (E _exp−E _cal) and neutron. proton number. The present study also points out that shell effects exhibited by nuclear binding energies cannot be accounted for by simply varying the coefficients of the mass formula: on the other hand extra terms are necessary to explain them.     

The isospin admixture of the ground state and the properties of the isobar analog resonances in medium and heavy mass nuclei

Within the framework of quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA), Pyatov-Salamov method [23] for the self-consistent determination of the isovector effective interaction strength parameter, restoring a broken isotopic symmetry for the nuclear part of the Hamiltonian, is used. The isospin admixtures in the ground state of the parent nucleus, and the isospin structure of the isobar analog resonance (IAR) state were investigated with the inclusion of the pairing correlations between nucleons for the medium and heavy mass regions: 80 <A < 90, 102 <A < 124, and 204 <A < 214. It was determined that the influence of the pairing interaction between nucleons on the isospin admixtures in the ground state and the isospin structure of the IAR state is more pronounced for the light isotopes (N ≈ Z) of the investigated nuclei     

Mass dependence of the surface δ-interaction strength for two-particle (two-hole) multiplets

By using the surface δ -interaction, the lowest states in nuclei of atomic mass number 6≤A≤210 with a doubly magic core and two valence nucleons are investigated. A single parameter describes the strength of the multiplet splitting of the lowest configuration which includes the ground state. The dependence of the strength on the atomic mass number of the doubly magic core is determined as a power law function A^-f with an exponent f = \frac23 {\frac{{2}}{{3}}} for 50 ≲ A≤208 .     

Nuclear structure in the vicinity of the N = Z line in the A = 90-100 region

Neutron-deficient nuclei in the mass region A≈ 90-100 exhibit a large variety of phenomena. In this region the heaviest N = Z nuclei are identified and enhanced neutron-proton correlations are expected when protons and neutrons occupy identical orbitals. A variety of nuclear shapes are predicted and observed for A? 91, including superdeformed shapes. The nucleus ¹⁰⁰Sn is the heaviest N = Z doubly magic nucleus believed to be bound. Knowledge of the shell structure around ¹⁰⁰Sn is of utmost importance for understanding the nuclear shell model. New results on both the N = Z nucleus ⁸⁸Ru, superdeformed structures in A≈ 90 nuclei as well as the first result on the level structure in ¹⁰³Sn, and an extended level structure in ¹⁰²In are presented. The limitations of using stable beams and targets and the possibilities with new radioactive beams are briefly outlined. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Mass Measurements of 114–124,130Xe with the ISOLTRAP Penning Trap Spectrometer

The masses of the xenon isotopes with 114≤A≤123 were directly measured for the first time. The experiments were carried out at the ISOLTRAP triple trap spectrometer at the on-line mass separator ISOLDE/CERN. A mass resolving power of the Penning trap spectrometer of m/Δm≈500 000 was chosen and an accuracy of δm≈12keV for all investigated Xe isotopes was achieved. An atomic mass evaluation was performed and the results of this adjustment are compared with theoretical predictions. The new results for the xenon isotopes and their effects on neighboring nuclides are discussed within the two-neutron separation energy picture. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Measurements of the partial cross section for the reaction 48Ti(n, γ1)49Ti and estimation of the radiative strength functions for E1 and M1 transitions

The partial cross section for radiative neutron capture by ⁴⁸Ti nuclei was measured as a function of neutron energy. The method of neutron spectrometry used is based on the shift in the energy of the primary γ transition in response to a change in the energy of the captured neutron. The reaction ⁷Li(p, n)⁷Be was used as a neutron source. Protons were accelerated by a Van de Graaff electrostatic generator up to energies of 60 keV above the reaction threshold, which provided neutron energies in the range from 10 to 120 keV. The partial widths of some resonances were determined. The radiative strength functions of E1 and M1 transitions to the first excited state were calculated. __________ Translated from Yadernaya Fizika, Vol. 66, No. 1, 2003, pp. 47–50. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2003 by Voinov, Serov, Popov, Gundorin, Kobzev, Parzhitski.     

Neutron strength functions of nuclei in the deformed region

P-wave neutron strength functions of 21 nuclei, in the rare-earth and deformed region 138 <A < 202, have been extracted from the average capture cross sections measured using SbBe photoneutrons and activation technique. S-wave neutron contribution is computed using the s-wave resonance parameters available in literature and subtracted out from the measured total capture cross section to yield the p-wave neutron capture contribution from which the p-wave neutron strength functions are extracted. Present results are found to be in general agreement with the values reported in literature. The experimental p-wave neutron strength functions are also compared with the theoretical predictions based on the different versions of the optical model potential, and qualitative agreement is observed with the deformed optical model theory of Buck and Perey. Strong evidence for shell structure effects is also noticed.     

Constraints on the time scale of nuclear breakup from thermal hard-photon emission

Measured hard-photon multiplicities from second-chance nucleon-nucleon collisions are used in combination with a kinetic thermal model to estimate the breakup times of excited nuclear systems produced in nucleus-nucleus reactions at intermediate energies. The obtained nuclear breakup time for the ¹²⁹Xe + ^natSn reaction at 50 A MeV is Δτ ≈ 100-300 fm/c for all reaction centralities. The lifetime of the radiating sources produced in seven other different heavy-ion reactions studied by the TAPS experiment is consistent with Δτ ≈ 100 fm/c, such relatively long thermal photon emission times do not seemingly support the interpretation of nuclear breakup as due to a fast spinodal process for the heavy nuclear systems studied.     

Microscopic calculation of proton capture reactions in the mass 60–80 region and its astrophysical implications

Microscopic optical potentials obtained by folding the DDM3Y interaction with the densities from the Relativistic Mean-Field approach have been utilized to evaluate S-factors of low-energy (p, γ) reactions in the mass 60–80 region and to compare with experiments. The Lagrangian density FSU Gold has been employed. Astrophysical rates for important proton capture reactions have been calculated to study the behaviour of rapid proton nucleosynthesis for waiting point nuclei with mass less than A = 80.     

Precise model approximation of JINR (Dubna) data on nuclear level densities in the region 40 ≤ <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis> ≤ 200 below <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>

The experimental nuclear level density below the neutron binding energy B _n in the mass region 40 ≤ A ≤ 200 is approximated to a high precision on the basis of the Strutinsky model combined with the assumption that the coefficient of collective enhancement of the level density for a given number of excited quasiparticles decreases exponentially with increasing excitation energy. This combination of model concepts makes it possible to reproduce faithfully not only the general trend revealed by the method developed at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR, Dubna) in the change in the level density with increasing excitation energy in any nuclei but also the fine structure of this level density. Realistic experimental information about the change in the relationship between the densities of quasiparticle- and vibrational-type states was obtained for the first time for any nuclei virtually up to the neutron binding energy B _n .     

Investigation of the shell structure of 40 ⩽ <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis> ⩽ 132 magic and near-magic nuclei within the mean-field model involving a dispersive optical potential

Amethod for determining parameters of a dispersive optical potential is presented. This method is aimed at calculating single-particle energies of neutron and proton states of magic and near-magic nuclei. It is based on the use of global parameters of the imaginary part of the traditional-optical-model potential and experimental data on single-particle energies in the vicinity of the Fermi surface that were determined by simultaneously evaluating data on nucleon-stripping and nucleon-pickup reactions on the same nucleus. The potential of the method for describing and predicting single-particle energies of 40 ⩽ A ⩽ 132 magic and near-magic nuclei is demonstrated.     

A simple model for doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei

Nuclear structure of doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei with mass A ∼ 130 is investigated within the framework of a simple model where the even-even core couples with a neutron and a proton in intruder orbitals through a quadrupole-quadrupole interaction. The model reproduces quite well the energy levels of doublet bands and electromagnetic transitions. The staggering of the ratios B(M1;I → I - 1)/B(E2;I → I - 2) of the yrast bands turns out to be described by the chopsticks-like motion of two angular momenta of the unpaired neutron and the unpaired proton when they are weakly coupled with the core.-1 An erratum to this article is available at .