Probable Decay Modes at Limits of Nuclear Stability of the Superheavy Nuclei

The modes of decay for the even–even isotopes of superheavy nuclei of Z = 118 and 120 with neutron number 160 ≤ N ≤ 204 are investigated in the framework of the axially deformed relativistic mean field model. The asymmetry parameter η and the relative neutron–proton asymmetry of the surface to the center (R _η ) are estimated from the ground state density distributions of the nucleus. We analyze the resulting asymmetry parameter η and the relative neutron–proton asymmetry R _η of the density play a crucial role in the mode(s) of decay and its half-life. Moreover, the excess neutron richness on the surface, facets a superheavy nucleus for β^? decays.     

Single-particle properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 12 to <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 20 silicon isotopes within the dispersive optical model

Experimental neutron and proton single-particle energies in N = 12 to N = 20 silicon isotopes and data on neutron and proton scattering by nuclei of the isotope ²⁸Si are analyzed on the basis of the dispersive optical model. Good agreement with available experimental data was attained. The occupation probabilities calculated for the single-particle states in question suggest a parallel-type filling of the 1d and 2s _1/2 neutron states in the isotopes ^{26,28,30,32,34}Si. The single-particle spectra being considered are indicative of the closure of the Z = 14 proton subshell in the isotopes ^30,32,34Si and the N = 20 neutron shell.     

Neutron single-particle characteristics of Ag isotopes in the dispersive optical model

The neutron dispersive optical potential for Ag isotopes is constructed for a wide range of variation in the N number. Good agreement with the experimental data on the scattering of neutrons by ¹⁰⁷Аg isotopes, and on single-particle energies and the probabilities of subshell occupation near the Fermi energy, is obtained for stable isotopes ^{107, 109}Ag using the dispersive optical model. Calculations that predict the evolution of the neutron single-particle energies up to the boundary of neutron stability are performed. It is shown that new magic number N = 56 (for Z = 40) disappears upon moving from Zr to Sn in an isotonic chain with N = 56, due to rapid deepening of level 1g _7/2.     

The neutron drip line in the region of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>=20 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>=28 closures

Experimental studies of neutron drip line nuclei are introduced. The neutron drip line in the oxygen-magnesium region has been explored by the projectile fragmentation of a ⁴⁸Ca beam. New neutron-rich isotopes, ³⁴Ne and ³⁷Na, have been observed together with some evidence for the particle instability of ³³Ne and ³⁶Na. Recent data on mass measurements of neutron-rich nuclei at GANIL and some characteristics of binding energies in this region are discussed. Nuclear binding energies are very sensitive to the existence of nuclear shells, and together with the measurements of instability of doubly magic nuclide ²⁸O, they provide information on changes in neutron shell closures of very neutron-rich isotopes from carbon up to calcium. The conclusion about a rearrangement in neutron shell closures is given. The spectroscopic measurements can reveal details of the underlying microscopic structures; in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy is an effective tool to check for shell closures. The results on the γ-ray energies of the first 2⁺ level in even-even nuclei for the range N=12–32 are discussed. The strength of N=20 and N=28 shells is variable in the region from carbon up to magnesium.     

Investigation of the neutron shell structure of the even-even isotopes <Superscript>40–56</Superscript>Ca within the dispersive optical model

Within the method of matching experimental data obtained in the neutron-stripping and neutron-pickup reactions on ^{40,42,44,46,48}Ca isotopes, the single-particle energies and probabilities that neutron states are filled are obtained for the even-even calcium isotopes. These data are analyzed within the dispersive optical model, and good agreement between the calculated and experimental values of the energies of states is obtained. The dispersive optical potential is extrapolated to the region of the unstable ^50,52,54,56Ca nuclei. The calculated single-particle energies of bound states in these isotopes are compared with the results of the calculations within the multiparticle shell model, the latter predicting a new magic number N = 34 for Z = 20 nuclei.     

New neutron magic number <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 16 for neutron-rich nuclei

A survey of experimental results obtained at GANIL (Caen, France) on the study of the properties of very neutron-rich nuclei (Z=6–20, A=20–60) near the neutron drip line and resulting in an appearance of further evidence for the new magic number N=16 is presented. Very recent data on mass measurements of neutron-rich nuclei at GANIL and some characteristics of binding energies in this region are discussed. Nuclear binding energies are very sensitive to the existence of nuclear shells, and together with the measurements of instability of doubly magic nuclei ¹⁰He and ²⁸O, they provide information on changes in neutron shell closures of very neutron-rich isotopes. The behavior of the two-neutron separation energies S_2n derived from mass measurements gives very clear evidence for the existence of the new shell closure N=16 for Z=9 and 10 appearing between the 2s_1/2 and 1d_3/2 orbitals. This fact, strongly supported by the instability of C, N, and O isotopes with N>16, confirms the magic character of N=16 for the region from carbon up to neon, while the shell closure at N=20 tends to disappear for Z≤13. Decay studies of these hardly accessible short-lived neutron-rich nuclei from oxygen to silicon using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy are also reported.     

Neutron-emission mechanisms in the <Superscript>115</Superscript>In(<Emphasis Type="Italic">α, xn</Emphasis>) reactions

Spectra and angular distributions of neutrons from the ¹¹⁵In(α, xn) reactions were measured at α-particle energies of 16, 18, 27, and 45 MeV. The measurements were performed with time-of-flight neutron spectrometers at pulsed accelerators of charged particles. The data obtained in this way were analyzed within the models of equilibrium, preequilibrium, and direct reaction mechanisms. The exact formalism of Hauser-Feshbach statistical theory was used in the calculations, level densities in residual nuclei excited in the reactions under consideration being found from the neutron evaporation spectra in the (p, n) reactions on tin isotopes. Contributions from equilibrium, preequilibrium, and direct neutron emission were studied in a wide range of α-particle energies.     

Neutron-deficient and neutron-rich Fe and Ni isotopes near the drip line

Positions of the proton and neutron drip lines and characteristics of the neutron-deficient and neutron-rich Fe and Ni isotopes have been studied by the Hartree-Fock method with the Skyrme forces (Ska, SkM*, Sly4) with allowance for deformation. Pairing was taken into account on the basis of the BCS approximation with the pairing constant G = (19.5/2)[1 ± 0.51(N ? Z)/A]. Manifestation of magic numbers for the nickel isotopes ⁴⁸Ni, ⁵⁶Ni, and ⁷⁸Ni and for the nucleon-stable isotope ¹¹⁰Ni which is beyond the drip line is discussed.     

The reactions N14(n, α)B11 and N14(n,t)C12 observed with a gridded ionization chamber

The cross sections for the reactions N¹⁴(n, α)B¹¹ and N¹⁴(n, t)C¹² have been measured in the neutron energy range 4.0 to 6.4 MeV and at 2.5 MeV. Mono-energetic neutrons were produced in the D(d, n) He³ reaction using a gas target. The (n, α) and (n, t) disintegrations were detected in a gridded ionization chamber filled with an argonnitrogen mixture. The response of the chamber under different operation conditions is described. The excitation functions, measured with a neutron energy resolution of 40 to 50 keV, are given for theα ₀ group from the N¹⁴(n,α)B¹¹ reaction over the entire neutron energy range and for theα ₁ group and the t₀ group from N¹⁴(n, t) C¹² for neutron energies above 4.3 and 5.6 MeV, respectively.     

Structure of the 1<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>2<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis> Shell from the Data on Single-Nucleon-Transfer Reactions

For the stable silicon isotopes ²⁸Si and ³⁰Si, the energies and occupancies of single-particle states of the 1d2s shell are determined by analyzing the combined data for the nucleon stripping and pickup reactions. From the results of analysis and the available experimental data, the variation of the 1d2s proton-shell structure with increasing neutron number for the silicon isotopes with A = 26–34 is discussed.     

Spherical nuclei near the stability line and far from it

Results of microscopic and semiphenomenological calculations of features of spherical nuclei lying near the stability line and far from it are presented. The reason why the nuclei being considered are spherical is that they are magic at least in one nucleon sort. The present analysis is performed for Z = 50 and Z = 28 isotopes and for N = 50 isotones, the region extending from neutron-rich to neutron-deficient nuclei being covered. The isotopic dependence of the mean-field spin–orbit nuclear potential is revealed; systematics of energies of levels and probabilities for electromagnetic transitions is examined; and root-mean-square radii of nuclei are calculated, along with the proton- and neutron-density distributions in them. Nuclei in the vicinity of closed shells are considered in detail, and the axial-vector weak coupling constant in nuclei is evaluated. A systematic comparison of the results of calculations with experimental data is performed.     

Reliability of the data on the cross sections of the partial photoneutron reaction for <Superscript>63,65</Superscript>Cu and <Superscript>80</Superscript>Se nuclei

The cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions are evaluated for the ^63,65Cu and ⁸⁰Se isotopes. The cross sections are free of systematic uncertainties from shortcomings of the experimental methods for neutron multiplicity sorting based on measurements of neutron energy used in experiments with quasimonoenergetic annihilation photon beams. An experimental-theoretical method is used to evaluate cross sections σ^eval(γ, in)= F_i^theor σ^exp(γ, xn), where ratios F_i^theor = σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor(γ, xn) = σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor[(γ, 1n) + 2(γ, 2n) + …] are calculated using a combined model of photonuclear reactions, and σ^exp(γ, xn) is the experimental cross section of the neutron yield reaction free from neutron multiplicity sorting problems. The cross sections are evaluated for reactions (γ, 1n) and (γ, 2n) for the ^63,65Cu and ⁸⁰Se isotopes, and for the total photoneutron reaction σ(γ, Sn) = σ[(γ, 1n) + (γ, 2n) + …]. It is shown that noticeable deviations of the experimental cross sections from the evaluated values result from the unreliable sorting of neutrons between the channels with multiplicities 1 and 2.     

Resonance Structure of the Charge-Exchange Strength Function and Neutrino-Capture Cross Sections for the Isotopes <Superscript>71</Superscript>Ga, <Superscript>98</Superscript>Mo,and <Superscript>127</Superscript>I

A resonance structure of the charge-exchange strength function S(E) and its effect on the neutrino-capture cross sections for the isotopes ⁷¹Ga, ⁹⁸Mo, and ¹²⁷I are studied within the self-consistent theory of finite Fermi systems. The calculation of the strength function S(E) takes into account Gamow–Teller, analog, and so-called lower lying pygmy resonances. The neutrino-capture cross sections σ(E) for the above three isotopes are calculated with allowance for the resonance structure of the strength function S(E), and the effect of each resonance on the energy dependence σ(E) is analyzed. It is found that all charge-exchange resonances in the strength function S(E) should be taken into account in calculating the neutrino-capture cross section σ(E) for the isotopes ⁷¹Ga, ⁹⁸Mo, and ¹²⁷I. The disregard of even highlying resonances leads to a substantial underestimation of the cross section σ(E), and this may affect the interpretation of respective experimental data.     

The single-particle characteristics of Pb isotopes near the drip lines calculated within the dispersive optical model

The neutron and proton dispersive optical potential for the ²⁰⁸Pb nucleus has been determined for the energy region from–70 to +60 MeV and used to calculate the differential elastic scattering, the total interaction and reaction cross sections, as well as the single-particle characteristics, the neutron and charge densities, rms radii, and the thickness of the nucleus skin. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The proton dispersive optical model potential for the spherical and close to spherical Pb isotopes within the neutron and proton drip lines has been obtained by a similar method. The calculation predicts a trend towards the growth of the proton particle-hole gap, which corresponds to Z = 82 shell closure as Z approaches the proton drip line.     

Electric dipole transitions in neutron-rich nuclei

The structure of neutron-rich nuclei in several isotopes is investigated by shell model calculations. We study the electric dipole (E1) transitions in C isotopes focusing on the interplay between the low-energy Pigmy strength and the giant dipole resonance (GDR). Reasonable agreement is obtained with available experimental data for the photoreaction cross sections in ¹²C, ¹³C, and ¹⁴C with the inclusion of the quenching effects. A low-energy peak in the dipole strength in ¹⁵C is associated with a single-particle motion of the 1s_1/2 valence neutron relative to the ¹⁴C core. The calculated transition strength below the GDR in C isotopes heavier than ¹⁵C is found to exhaust about 50–80% of the cluster sum rule value and 12–16% of the classical Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum rule value. Next, we point out that the quadrupole and magnetic moments in the odd C isotopes strongly depend on configuration, which will be useful to determine the spin parities and the deformations of the ground states of these nuclei. The electric quadrupole (E2) transitions in even C isotopes are also studied. The isotopic dependence of the E2 transition strength is found to be reasonably well explained, although the calculated strength largely overestimates the unexpectedly small strength observed in ¹⁶C. The E1 strength in ¹⁸N and ¹⁹N as well as in Ne isotopes is also investigated.     

Shell structure of <Superscript>107,109</Superscript>Ag nuclei and spin–parities nuclei in which the 1<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis>9/2</Subscript> orbit is being filled

Occupation numbers and energies of proton and neutron orbits in the isotopes ¹⁰⁷Ag and ¹⁰⁹Ag were obtained on the basis of data on nucleon-stripping and nucleon-pickup reactions. A special data-analysis method reducing systematic and statistical uncertainties was applied in relevant calculations. It is shown that, in this region, the spin–parity of nuclei is determined by shells, pairing, and polarization. The schemes of proton and neutron (sub)orbits were constructed. These schemes explain the ground-state spin–parities of N, Z = 39–49 nuclei.     

Preliminary results of the experiment on search for neutron nuclei on a nuclear reactor

An experiment on search for neutron nuclei in the reaction of neutron-induced fission of ²³⁵U nuclei has been performed on a nuclear reactor. The hypothetical reaction ¹²²Te(^xn, (x ? k)n)^{122 + k} Te → (β^?) → ^{122 + k} I (x = k ≥ 10) has been investigated. The radiochemical method for selecting iodine isotopes from tellurium was used. The upper limit on the probability of formation of neutron clusters has been obtained: P _k ≤ 10^?8 (fission)^?1 for ¹¹n clusters and P _k ≤ 10^?9 (fission)^?1 for ¹¹n clusters.     

Ground-state properties of neutron magic nuclei

A systematic study of the ground-state properties of the entire chains of even–even neutron magic nuclei represented by isotones of traditional neutron magic numbers N = 8, 20, 40, 50, 82, and 126 has been carried out using relativistic mean-field plus Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer approach. Our present investigation includes deformation, binding energy, two-proton separation energy, single-particle energy, rms radii along with proton and neutron density profiles, etc. Several of these results are compared with the results calculated using nonrelativistic approach (Skyrme–Hartree–Fock method) along with available experimental data and indeed they are found with excellent agreement. In addition, the possible locations of the proton and neutron drip-lines, the (Z, N) values for the new shell closures, disappearance of traditional shell closures as suggested by the detailed analyzes of results are also discussed in detail.     

Plasma-volume generation of H<Superscript>−</Superscript> ions in a low-voltage xenon-hydrogen discharge. II

A low-voltage xenon-hydrogen discharge is considered theoretically at an interelectrode distance of L = 1 cm and cathode emission current densities of j _s = 2–20 A/cm². Basic parameters of the discharge plasma, in particular, the total hydrogen and xenon densities, are optimized to attain the maximum possible density of negative hydrogen ions \(N_{H^ - } (L)\) at the plasma-anode boundary. The distributions of the plasma parameters over the discharge gap are calculated for optimized regimes. According to calculations, at intermediate cathode emission current densities (j _s ≈ 5–10 A/cm²) in optimized discharge regimes, the density of negative hydrogen ions in the anode region of the plasma is \(N_{H^ - } (L)\) ≈ (1.5–2.5) × 10¹² cm^?3 and the total plasma pressure is p ₀ = 0.5–0.6 Torr.     

Production of Transuranium Nuclides in Pulsed Neutron Fluxes from Thermonuclear Explosions

The production of transuranium nuclides in pulsed neutron fluxes from thermonuclear explosions has been studied within the kinetic model of the astrophysical r-process taking into account the time dependence of external parameters and processes accompanying the beta decay of neutron-rich nuclei. Neutron fluxes depending on the time in the range of ~10^–6 s have been simulated within the developed adiabatic binary model. The probabilities of beta-delayed processes have been calculated within the microscopic theory of finite Fermi systems. The yields of transuranium nuclides Y(A) have been calculated for three experimental thermonuclear explosions Mike (Y_M), Par (Y_P), and Barbel (Y_B) (United States). The rms deviations of the calculations from experimental data are 91, 33, and 29% for Y_M, Y_P, and Y_B, respectively. These deviations are much smaller than those for other known calculations and are comparable with the proposed exponential approximation ensuring rms deviations of 56, 86.8, and 60.2% for Y_M, Y_P, and Y_B, respectively. The even–odd anomaly in the observed yields of heavy nuclei is explained by the dominant effect of processes accompanying the beta decay of heavy neutron-rich isotopes.