Investigation of the 3.46 MeV isomeric level of 38K with the 24Mg(16O,pnγ)38K reaction

The τ_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} = 22 μs isomeric level of ³⁸K at an excitation energy of 3458.0 ± 0.2keVf is strongly populated in the ²⁴Mg(¹⁶O, pnγ)³⁸K reaction. Delayed γ-rays are studied with Ge(Li), Si(Li), and NaI detectors. Accurate excitation energies, branching ratios and lifetimes of levels involved in the decay of the isomeric state are determined. The isomeric level predominantly decays by a dipole transition of 38.03±0.03 keV with a total conversion coefficient of α_T = 0.42 ± 0.15. Mean lives of ³⁸K levels are measured with the recoil-distance method. The results are τ_m = 10.1 ± 0.9 ps, 1.41 ± 0.14 ns and 101 ± 15 ps for the levels at excitation energies of 0.46, 2.65 and 3.42 MeV, respectively. It is suggested that the (1f_{$\text{7}\text{2}$})² structure of a low-lying J^π = 7⁺ state in combination with the selection rules for γ-decay in a self-conjugate nucleus is responsible for the isomerism.     

Investigation of the reaction 34S(p, γ)35Cl: (I). Resonances at proton energies above 2 MeV

The yield curve of the reaction ³⁴S(p, γ)³⁵Cl has been measured over the energy range E_p = 1.95–2.91 MeV. Proton energies and strengths of 84 resonances are given. The decay schemes of 38 selected resonances have been studied, and for these branching ratios and spin limits are presented. The proton energy of the well known $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ analogue resonance has been measured as E_p = 1211.45 ± 0.09 keV. The reaction Q-value is Q = 6371.6 ± 0.4 keV.     

The 2425 keV state in 21Na as a subtreshold resonance in 20Ne (p,γ)21 Na

The high-energy tail of the $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, 2425 keV state in ²¹Na, bound by 7 keV against proton decay, has been observed in the ²⁰Ne (p,γ)²¹Na reaction at E_p=0.5?1.5 MeV. The observed excitation function is consistent with a single-level Breit-Wigner shape with Γ_γ=0.31±0.07 eV at E_x = 2425 keV.     

The 6− analog-antianalog states of 28Si

A resonance is observed in the ²⁷Al(p, γ)²⁸Si reaction at E_p=2876±2 keV, which corresponds to an excitation energy of 14356±2 keV. The 14.36 MeV level decays to a new level at 11577±2 keV, which is turn decays to the known level at 9701.8±0.5 keV. With previous information on the 9.70 MeV level and the present γ-ray angular distributions, obtained from singles spectra as recorded by a 40 cm³ Ge(Li) detector, the spins of the three levels can be limited to J=5, 6; J=6; and J=5, respectively. Transition strength arguments based on measurements of the strength of the 2876 keV resonance and the lifetime of the 11.58 MeV level indicate that the 14.36 MeV level has J^π=6^?, T=1 and that the 11.58 MeV level has J^π=6^?, T=0.     

A study of some resonances in the 54Fe(p, γ)55Co reaction

Excitation functions for the ⁵⁴Fe(p, γ)⁵⁵Co reaction have been recorded in the energy region E_p = 1100–1760 keV. The decay schemes and branching ratios of ten resonances have been investigated. Angular distributions of primary γ-rays have been measured for three resonances to establish resonance spins. Resonance strengths for six resonances and gamma widths for three resonances have been determined. The isobaric analogues of the ground ($\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{)}\text{and}\text{1919}\text{keV}$$\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{3}\text{2}$^?) states of the parent nucleus ⁵⁵Fe have been identified at 4722 and 6712 keV respectively in ⁵⁵Co. The Coulomb displacement energies of the observed analogue pairs (0–4722 keV) and (1919–6712 keV) have been obtained. The strengths of the possible analogue-antianalogue transitions for the proton capture state at E_p = 1679 keV have also been determined.     

Radiative width of the first T = 2 state in 8Be

The lowest T = 2 state (J^π = 0⁺) in ⁸Be was observed as a resonance at E_d = 6962.8 ± 3.0 keV (E_X = 27495.8 ± 2.4 keV, λ_c.m. = 5.5 ± 2.0 keV) in the ⁶Li(d, γ)⁸Be reaction. The resonant capture yield to the 17.6 MeV J^π = 1⁺, T = 1 state gives λ_γ = 23 ± 4 eV (1.14 ± 0.20 W.u.), in good agreement with the intermediate coupling model.     

Investigation of 28Si levels with the (α, γ) and (p, γ) reactions

Particle energies have been measured for resonances in the ²⁷Al(p, γ)²⁸Si and ²⁴Mg(α, γ)²⁸Si reactions with an accuracy of 0.5 × 10^?4 and 1 × 10^?4, respectively. The E_p = 991.88 ± 0.04 keV²⁷Al(p, γ)²⁸Si resonance served as calibration point. From these data the Q-value of the reaction ²⁷Al(p, α)²⁴Mg has been determined as 1600.14 ± 0.21 keV. Excitation energies of ²⁸Si levels have been measured with the ²⁷Al(p, γ)²⁸Si reaction; the reaction energy is Q = 11584.5 ± 0.4 keV.Of 33 resonances observed in the ²⁴Mg(α, γ)²⁸Si reaction (E_α = 1.5–3.8 MeV), energies, strengths and γ-ray decay have been measured; five of these resonances had not been reported previously. The γ-ray angular distribution measurements at three resonances yield the resonance J^π values and the mixing ratios of the strongest transitions involved in the decay. The 10.38 MeV level has J^π = 3⁺, T = 1. The arguments on which T-assignments can be based are critically reviewed. These arguments are used to assign T = 1 character to ¹⁹ states of ²⁸Si.     

Allowed electron-capture branches in the decay of 34mCl

The decay of ^34mCl has been studied with 36 and 100 cm³ Ge(Li) detectors and with a high-resolution large volume Ge(Li)-NaI(Tl) Compton-suppression spectrometer. The ^34mCl activity was produced with the reaction ²⁴Mg(¹²C, pn)³⁴Cl at $\text{E(}{}^{12}\text{C}\text{) = 35}\text{MeV}$ by bombarding thick natural Mg targets. The half-life was measured to be $\text{τ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 32.06 ± 0.08}\text{min}$. Nine γ-ray transitions were observed including four γ-rays not seen previously. The measured γ-ray intensities determine new electron-capture branches of (0.030 ± 0.006) % and (0.032 ± 0.003) % to ³⁴S levels at 4.69 and 4.88 MeV with log ft values of 5.48 ± 0.08 and 5.26 ±0.04, respectively. These log ft values imply allowed transitions and are consistent with the known J_π values of J_π = 4⁺ and 3⁺ of the 4.69 and 4.88 MeV levels, respectively. A lower limit of log ft ? 6.9 is obtained for the allowed electron-capture branch to the J^π = 2⁺, 4.89 MeV level. Other previously observed decay branches have been confirmed. Since the decay of ^34mCl proceeds (46.9 ± 1.0)% to the ³⁴Cl ground state, the latter decay was studied concurrently; ³⁴Cl(0)with J^π = 0⁺, T = 1 decays exclusively to its analog ³⁴S(0) and the sum of the intensities of four other allowed branches is less than 1.2 × 10^?4 of the intensity of the ground-state branch. The experimental results are compared with recent shell-model calculations performed in a large configuration space.     

Precise excitation energy and γ-ray decay of the lowest T = 2 state in 40K

The excitation energy of the lowest T = 2 state in ⁴⁰K has been determined as E_x = 4384.0 ± 0.3 keV from n-γ and γ-γ coincidence experiments. The state was populated with the ⁴Ar(p,n)⁴⁰K reaction at E_p = 8.30 MeV. Gamma-gamma angular correlation measurements yield unambiguous spin assignments J = 0 and 1 for the 1.64 and 2.290 MeV states, respectively. The excitation energy of the T = 2, J^π = 0⁺ state leads to a calculated mass excess of ?9120 ± 150 keV for ⁴⁰Ti.     

High-spin states in 38K

High-spin states in ³⁸K are investigated with the ²⁴Mg(¹⁶O, pnγ)³⁸K reaction at $\text{E(}{}^{16}\text{O}\text{) = 36–44}\text{MeV}$. A recently developed Compton-suppression spectrometer with 120 msr solid angle and a pulsed beam are employed to study their γ-decay. For the E4 transition from the isomeric level at E_x = 3458 keV to the ground state a branching ratio of (0.15 ± 0.02)% is found. On the basis of angular distribution and polarization measurements, in which the delayed feeding component is eliminated, spin-parity assignments are obtained of J^π(2646 keV) = (2, 4)^?, J^π(3420 keV) = (4, 6)^? and J^π(3458 keV) = (5, 7)⁺. Prompt-delayed and prompt γγ coincidence experiments are performed to locate high-spin levels above the isomer. Hitherto unobserved levels of high spin are found at E_x = 5254, 7397, 8693, 8747 and 10980 keV and assignments of J^π = (9⁺), (10^?), (12^?), (11^?) and (13^?) respectively, are suggested by weak-coupling considerations. The experimental results are compared with a large-scale shell-model calculation performed in a configuration space with a ²⁸Si core and ten active particles distributed over the ($\text{2}\text{s}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{, 1}\text{d}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{, 1}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>7</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{, 2}\text{p}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ shells. The high-spin states appear to have a rather simple shell-model structure.     

Isomers in the N = 83 nucleus 149Dy

Energy levels in the N = 83 nucleus ¹⁴⁹Dy were studied by the reaction ¹⁵²Gd(α, 7n) at 106 MeV bombarding energy using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy methods. The measurements identified three isomers in this nucleus, at 1073 keV (13 ± 3 ns), at 2700±150keV (5 μs < T_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} < 0.5 s), and above 3.5 MeV (50 ± 15 ns). The low-lying isomer is interpreted as i_{$\text{13}\text{2}$}. The configuration $\text{27}\text{2}$^?(πh_{$\text{11}\text{2}$}²)₁₀₊ ×vf_{$\text{7}\text{2}$} is suggested for the state at 2.7 MeV.     

The reaction 36S(p,γ)37Cl: (I). Excitation energies and γ-ray branchings of bound states deduced from resonances in the range Ep = 500–2000 keV

Yield curves of the reaction ³⁶S(p, γ)³⁷Cl have been measured over the range E_p = 500–2000 keV with a highly enriched (81%) ³⁶S target. Proton energies, with a precision of typically 0.3 keV, and strengths are presented for the nearly 200 observed resonances. Several previously reported resonances, among which the well-known $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{, E}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{= 1887}\text{keV}$ analogue resonance, are proven to be multiplets.At 75 selected resonances in the ranges E_p = 500–1200 and 1800–2000 keV the decay schemes have been studied. These measurements also provide rather detailed information on the γ-ray branching ratios of more than 50 bound states of which the majority has not been observed previously. Precision excitation energies have been determined; for the levels with E_x < 5 MeV the median uncertainty amounts to 30 ppm. The reaction Q-value is Q = 8386.34 ± 0.23 keV.These precision data invalidate several previous spin and parity assignments to low-lying bound states of ³⁷Cl. They also provide a basis for the lifetime measurements and spin and parity assignments to be discussed in the following paper.     

A neutron decoupled from a rotating odd core in 114Sb and 116Sb

The ^{113, 115}In(α, 3nγ)^{114, 116}Sb reactions have been studied using γ-ray spectroscopic techniques. The experiments included γ-ray excitation function, γ-γ coincidence, lifetime, γ-ray angular distribution and conversion electron measurements. A ΔJ = 1 rotational band has been observed in either of the ^{114, 116}Sb final nuclei. Energy spacings and electromagnetic properties of the band show strong resemblances with those of rotational bands in the adjacent odd-mass Sb nuclei. In addition two-quasiparticle and two-quasiparticle core coupled states have been observed in these nuclei. One isomer was identified in ¹¹⁶Sb, i.e. a J^π = 11⁺ state at 1889 keV ($\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext><mtext>\; =\; 4.0\pm 0.1\; </mtext><mtext>ns</mtext>}}$). A simple model is proposed which explains the ΔJ = 1 band in terms of rotational alignment of the $\text{h}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>11</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ neutron with the deformed rotating odd-A core.     

Hydrogen burning of 20Ne and 22Ne in stars

The ²⁰Ne(p, γ)²¹Na capture reaction has been studied in the energy range E_p = 0.37–2.10 MeV. Direct-capture transitions to the $\text{332 (}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}\text{and}\text{2425}\text{keV}\text{(}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}$ states have been found with spectroscopic factors of C²S(1d) = 0.77±0.13 and C²S(2s) = 0.90±0.12, respectively. The high-energy tail of the 2425 keV state, bound by 7 keV against proton decay, has also been observed in the above energy range as a subthreshold resonance. The excitation function for this tail is consistent with a single-level Breit-Wigner shape for a γ-width of Γ_γ = 0.31±0.07 eV at E_x = 2425 keV. The extrapolation of these data to stellar energies gives an astrophysical S-factor of S(0) = 3500 keV · b. Two new resonances at E_p = 384±5 and 417± 5 keV have been observed with strengths of ωγ = 0.11±0.02 and 0.06±0.01 meV, corresponding to the known states at and 2829 keV (presumably $\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$), respectively. For the known E_p = 1830 keV resonance, a strength of ωγ = 1.0± 0.3 eV and a total width of Γ = 180± 15 keV were found. Branching ratios as well as transition strengths have been obtained for these three states. The Q-value for the ²⁰Ne(p, γ)²¹Na reaction (Q = 2432.3 ± 0.5 keV) as well as excitation energies for many low-lying states in ²¹Na have been measured. No evidence was found for the existence of the state reported at E_x = 4308±4 keV.In the case of ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na, direct-capture transitions to six final bound states have been observed revealing sizeable spectroscopic factors for these states. The astrophysical S-factor extrapolated from these data to stellar energies, is S(0) = 67 ± 12 keV · b.The astrophysical as well as the nuclear structure aspects of the present results are discussed.     

Observation of the radiative transition ψ → γE(1420)

We have observed a radiative transition from the ψ to a state decaying into K_SK^±π^?, with mass M = 1.44_?0.015^+0.01 GeV/c² and width Γ = 0.05_?0.02^+0.03 GeV/c². We tentatively identify this state as the E(1420). Assuming that this state is an isospin singlet, we have determined the branching fraction product $\text{B(ψ → γ}\text{E}\text{) × B(}\text{E}\text{×}\text{K}\text{K}\text{π) = (3.6 ± 1.4) × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$.     

Das Niveauschema von 47V aus dem γ-zerfall von Analogresonanzen

A high-accuracy investigation of the level scheme of ⁴⁷V has been performed using the ⁴⁶Ti(p, γ)⁴⁷V reaction. The γ-decay schemes of the strong (p, γ) resonances at E_p = 1546, 1549, 1565 and 1572 keV lead to 17 new energy levels in ⁴⁷V with excitation energies between 2.7 and 5.1 MeV. From the (p,γ) angular distributions mixing ratios of the primary γ-transitions and J^π values of the resonances and of many states populated in the γ-decay have been determined. The total width of the E_p = 1549, 1565 and 1572 keV resonances for γ-decay are found to be Γ_γ = 0.12, 0.15 and 0.03 eV, respectively. The Q-value of the ⁴⁶Ti(p,γ)⁴⁷V reaction is found to be 5168.6 keV. The two resonances at E_p = 1549 and 1565 keV, which have $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$, are interpreted as fine structure components of the analogue state of the $\text{E}{}^1\text{= 2.545}\text{MeV}\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ level in ⁴⁷Ti while the ($\text{7}\text{2}$) resonance at E_p = 1546 keV might correspond to the $\text{E}{}^1\text{= 2.615}\text{MeV}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ parent state in ⁴⁷Ti. The analogue-antianalogue M1 transition strength of the split $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ analogue state is 0.01 single-particle units and fits well into our systematics of IAS → AIAS transitions in fp-shell nuclei.     

12C(7Li,t)16O and stellar helium fusion

The reaction ¹²C(⁷Li, t)¹⁶O has been studied at $\text{E(}{}^7\text{Li}\text{) = 34}\text{MeV}$ with the LASL tandem accelerator and QDDD magnetic spectrometer. Angular distributions to levels with E_x < 11 MeV have been obtained from 0° to 90°, including 0°. The results have been analyzed with finite-range distorted-wave Born approximation theory. The α-particle spectroscopic factors and reduced widths obtained are compared with those calculated with group theory (SU(3)) and other models. The analysis of data for the 7.1 and 9.6 MeV J^π = 1^? levels, which are of great importance in stellar helium buring, yields a ratio, R, of dimensionless reduced α-widths $\text{θ}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>a</mtext>}}\text{(7.1}\text{MeV}\text{)}\text{θ}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>a</mtext>}}\text{(9.6}\text{MeV}\text{)}\text{= 0.35b ± 0.13}$. The observed line width of the 9.6 MeV level (Γ_c.m. = 390 ± 60 keV) is less than the accepted value (Γ_c.m. = 510 ± 60 keV) and implies θ²_a(9.6 MeV) ≈ 0.6. These results as well as data for the 6.92 MeV J^π = 2⁺ and 10.35 MeV J^π = 4⁺ “α-cluster” states indicate 0.09 < θ²_a(7.1 MeV) < 0.33 with a mean value θ²_a(7.1 MeV) = 0.14 ± 0.04. The implication for stellar helium burning is discussed.     

The γ-decay of the g92 analogue state in 59Cu

An investigation of the γ-decay of the $\text{1}\text{g}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>9</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ analogue state in ⁵⁹Cu has been performed using the ⁵⁸Ni(p, γ)⁵⁹Cu reaction. The (p, γ) excitation function has been taken in the range E_p = 3450–3650 keV. The decay schemes of the (p, γ) resonances at E_p = 3483, 3532 and 3547 keV, measured with Ge(Li) detectors, lead to eight new levels in ⁵⁹Cu with excitation energies between 1.8 and 4.7 MeV and to spin assignments of several states. The spins of the first two resonances are found to be ($\text{1}\text{2}$, $\text{3}\text{2}$) and ($\text{5}\text{2}$). The spin of the E_p = 3547 keV resonan is, from angular distributions, uniquely determined to be $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ and this state is found to be the unfragmented analogue state of the $\text{E}{}^1\text{= 3.062}\text{MeV}$, $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ parent state in ⁵⁹Ni. The measured complete decay scheme of this resonance shows that its isovector M1 decay is in disagreement with all existing theoretical predictions.     

Some studies of T = 32 states in 17F

Measurements have been made of some parameters of the second and sixth $\text{T =}\text{3}\text{2}$ states in ¹⁷F. For the second state, the resonance energy was found to be E_p = 12.707 ± 0.001 MeV (E_n = 12.550±0.001 MeV), which agrees with and improves on the accuracy of earlier work. For the sixth $\text{T =}\text{3}\text{2}$ state, at E_p = 14.435 MeV, the γ-decay was determined to be predominantly γ₀ with a branch to the first excited state of Γ(γ₁)/Γ(γ₀) ≦ 0.14. Together with other work, this determines J^π to be $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$. The capture strength is found to be (2J + 1)Γ_pΓ_γ/Γ = 11.4 ± 2.6 eV.     

Evidence for an isomeric state in 216Th

A new α-line with E_α = 9.912±0.020 MeV is assigned to an isomeric state in ²¹⁶Th. It decays with a half-life of $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 180±40 μ}\text{s}$. There are indications for a dominating γ-branch.