Evidence for critical angular momenta in the formation of 26Al via the 14N + 12C channel

States in ²⁰Ne have been studied through the ¹²C(¹⁴N, ⁶Li)²⁰Ne reaction. Excitation functions have been measured from 20 MeV to 60 MeV in steps of 5 MeV at different angles for ²⁰Ne states up to 10 MeV excitation energy. States of ²⁴Mg have been also populated using the ¹²C(¹⁴N, d)²⁴Mg reaction; excitation functions of ²⁴Mg states up to 9 MeV excitation energies as well as angular distributions at 35 MeV bombarding energy have been obtained. Comparisons of data with Hauser-Feshbach calculations show clearly that the compound nucleus mechanism is the main process for both ¹²C(¹⁴N, ⁶Li)²⁰Ne and ¹²C(¹⁴N, d)²⁴Mg reactions. Strong evidence has been provided for inhibition of the ²⁶Al compound nucleus formation for angular momenta higher than critical values. The location of the yrast line in the ²⁶Al nucleus is discussed.     

Elastic and inelastic scattering of 16O and 12C by 24Mg near the Coulomb barrier

Angular distributions for ¹⁶O + ²⁴Mg and ¹²C + ²⁴Mg elastic and inelastic (2⁺, 1.37 MeV state in ²⁴Mg) scattering have been measured at energies spanning the Coulomb barrier. Apart from the structure typical of strong destructive Coulomb-nuclear interference, the data exhibit some additional specific features. Coupled channel calculations were performed, along with DWBA calculations to analyse the data using fixed coupling strengths deduced from the results of Coulomb excitation work. The importance of higher-order effects such as reorientation, is demonstrated.     

194Pt(12C, 12C′) reaction and the triaxial-rotor model

Elastic and inelastic scattering differential cross sections for the ¹⁹⁴Pt(¹²C, ¹²C′) reaction at a bombarding energy of 78 MeV have been measured. Data have been obtained for 0⁺, 2⁺, 4⁺, and 2^+′, states in ¹⁹⁴Pt. The data have been analyzed using a rigid asymmetric-rotor model in coupled-channels reaction calculations. It is found that satisfactory fits to all data can be obtained but only if the hexadecapole deformation is included in the asymmetric-rotor model.     

16O, 24, 26Mg, 28Si, 32S, 40Ca(α, 12C) and multi-α-cluster transfer reactions

The (α, ¹²C) reaction has been studied on a variety of nuclei, A = 16 to 40, at E_α = 90.3 MeV. The data indicate a rapid fall-off of cross sections with increasing target mass, approximately as A_t^{?5 ± 1}. This and other systematics are used to estimate cross sections for multi-α-cluster transfer reactions in heavy nuclei and suggest σ_T < 10^?34 cm² consistent with present experimental limits. The data for ²⁴Mg(α, ¹²C)¹⁶O has been studied in more detail and indicates a selective population of final states including ¹⁶O g.s., with oscillatory angular distributions in some instances. Finite-range distorted-wave Born approximation calculations for direct ⁸Be pickup have been performed utilizing cluster overlap amplitudes obtained with zero-order SU(3) wave functions. The calculations are in qualitative, and often quantitative, agreement with shapes and absolute magnitudes of the measured angular distributions although the cross sections for certain α-cluster states (2⁺, E_x ≈ 7 MeV; 4⁺, E_x ≈ 10.3 MeV) are greatly overestimated with this model. Other more complicated mechanisms, such as successive α-transfer, cannot be excluded. The systematics of the calculated ⁸Be cluster overlaps and the calculated and measured (α, ¹²C) cross sections are investigated, and implications for multi-α-cluster transfer reactions are discussed.     

Recoil distance lifetime measurements in 26Mg and 26Al

Levels in ²⁶Mg and ²⁶Al were excited with the ²³Na + α reaction, and the recoil-distance method was used to determine the mean lives of the following levels: ²⁶Mg, 3.59 MeV (9.6 ± 1.2ps) and 3.94 MeV (1.38 ± 0.11 ps); ²⁶Al, 1.76 MeV (6.4 ± 0.4 ps) and 2.072 MeV (1.00 ± 0.10ps). The deduced values are compared to previous measurements by the Doppler-shift attenuation method.     

The 26Mg(14N, 10B)30Si and 26Mg(14N, 11B)29Si reactions

Reactions induced by ¹⁴N on ²⁶Mg at bombarding energies of 60–95 MeV have been studied. Angular distributions for states populated in ²⁹Si by the (¹⁴N, ¹¹B) reaction and in ³⁰Si by the (¹⁴N, ¹⁰B) reaction have been compared with Hauser-Feshbach and DWBA calculations to determine the reaction mechanism and to deduce spectroscopic information. The cross sections for the states populated in ²⁹Si and ³⁰Si are in poor agreement with statistical model calculations, indicating a non-compound nucleus mechanism.     

12C(12C, 8Be)16O angular distributions and excitation functions between 35 and 69 MeV bombarding energy

An array of eight detectors has been developed for identifying the particle unstable ⁸Be nucleus from nuclear reactions with high detection efficiency. Absolute cross sections have been measured for the reaction ¹²C(¹²C, ⁸Be_g.s.)¹⁶O to the ground state and to several excited states in ¹⁶O. Excitation functions at seven angles from 15° to 45° (lab) in 5° steps have been measured for bombarding energies between E¹²_C(lab) = 35 and 69 MeV. Excitation functions were obtained for the following states in the residual nucleus ¹⁶O which were found to be strongly populated: g.s.(0⁺); 6.1 MeV (0⁺, 3^?); 6.9 MeV (2⁺); 10.4 MeV (4⁺); 11.1 MeV (4⁺); 14.7 MeV (6⁺,…) and 16.3 MeV (6⁺,…). The energy range is covered in 250 keV (c.m.) steps; at certain energy ranges in ¹²⁵ keV or 50keV steps. All excitation functions exhibit a strong energy dependence of the cross section; pronounced gross structures with superimposed fine structures, similar to those observed for ¹²C+¹²C elastic and inelastic scattering at these energies, are observed. At 19.3 MeV, where resonant structures were observed in the reactions ¹²C(¹²C, p)²³Na, ¹²C(¹²C, n)²³Mg and ¹²C(¹²C, d)²²Na, no resonance is found for the reaction studied here. At 60, 61 and 63 MeV angular distributions have been measured in 1° and 2.5°(lab) angular steps. The excitation functions have been analyzed in terms of Ericson fluctuations and cross-correlation functions.     

Short lifetimes in 26Al

Mean lifetimes of levels in ²⁶Al have been measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation (DSA) method and the reaction ²⁵Mg(p, γ)²⁶Al. The lifetime values or limits were determined for 34 bound levels below the excitation energy of 6 MeV; the lifetimes of 13 levels and upper limits of 3 levels are reported for the first time. For the effective stopping of recoils, the targets were prepared by implanting ²⁵Mg into Ta backings. The Monte Carlo method and the experimental stopping power were used in the DSA analysis.     

The (d, 6Li) reaction on 24Mg, 26Mg and 28Si at 35 MeV

Data for the (d, ⁶Li) reaction on targets of ²⁴Mg, ²⁶Mg and ²⁸Si have been obtained at 35 MeV bombarding energy. Angular distributions were measured for low-lying states in the residual nuclei. Zero-range distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) calculations have been used to analyze the data. The DWBA calculations account for the shapes of the experimental distributions reasonably well. The observation of significant population of unnatural parity states implies, however, that other transfer mechanisms may be important. The experimental spectroscopic factors are in qualitative agreement with those obtained from SU(3) theory.     

High-spin states in 34CI

High-spin yrast states in ³⁴Cl have been studied with the reactions ³¹P(α, nγ)³⁴Cl at E_α = 11.7?16.3 MeV and ²⁴Mg(¹²C, pnγ)³⁴Cl at E(¹²C) = 32–35 MeV. Ambiguities in the ³⁴Cl level scheme for levels at E_x = 4.82 and 5.32 MeV have been resolved through combination of threshold measurements with the ³¹P + α reaction and gamma-gamma coincidence and E_γ-measurements with the ²⁴Mg + ¹²C reaction. Gamma-gamma coincidence and in-beam γ-γ angular correlation experiments have been performed employing a Compton-suppression spectrometer with a solid angle of 120 msr.Unambiguous spin-parity assignments of J^π = 6^?, 5⁺ and 7⁺ to the ³⁴Cl levels at E_x = 4.74, 4.82 and 5.32 MeV, respectively, are obtained.Previously unreported levels of high spin are found at E_x = 7.25 and 7.80 MeV with J^π = (9⁺) and (8⁺); τ_m = 200 ± 70 fs and 100 ± 70 fs, respectively. Excitation energies, mean lives, branching ratios and multipole mixing ratios are reported. The experimental results are compared with large-scale shell-model calculations. The high-spin yrast levels can be characterized by a rather simple shell-model structure.     

Proton threshold states in 26Al

The energy levels of ²⁶Al between E_x = 6.3 and 6.5 MeV, corresponding to proton threshold energies in the ²⁵Mg + p reaction from $\text{E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{= 0}\text{to}\text{200}\text{keV}\text{, have been investigated using the reactions}{}^{27}\text{Al(su3}$He, α)²⁶Al and ²⁴Mg(³He, p)²⁶Al. Despite early work reporting a doublet at E_x = 6346 keV and E_x = 6362 keV, most subsequent work reported a single state with conflicting spin and parity assignments. Our work clearly establishes the presence of the doublet and resolves the conflicts. We find that there are six states in this excitation energy region, including a new state at E_x = 6410 ± 5 keV. The l-values leading to possible spin and parity assignments for all these states have been made using DWBA. We conclude however that only three of these six states may contribute to the production of ²⁶Al by the ²⁵Mg(p, γ) reaction in the MgAl cycle and the new structure of ²⁶Al reported here can substantially increase the production rate of ²⁶Al in stellar reactions.     

Étude des niveaux du noyau 27Al par la réaction 26Mg(d,n)27Al

The ²⁶Mg(d, n)²⁷Al reaction has been studied at 6 and 8 MeV deuteron bombarding energies using the time-of-flight technique for neutron detection. The good neutron energy resolution of the present work permitted the determination of the excitation energy of 70 states populated by the reaction. Angular distributions of neutrons leading to 50 levels in ²⁷Al were measured between 0° and 100°. The experimental cross sections were analysed in the framework of the DWBA and Hauser-Feshbach theories to deduce l_p values and transition strengths. New spin and parity assignments were obtained for 11 levels. The agreement between the DWBA predictions and some of the measured angular distributions was improved by modifying the optical-model radii in both incoming and outgoing channels. The experimental results are compared with the corresponding data from previous studies and with Nilsson-model and recent shell-model calculations.     

Heavy-ion reactions on 26Mg

Reactions induced by 126 MeV ¹⁶O ions on ²⁶Mg have been investigated in the angular range 5° to 12°. Optical model parameters were derived from the elastic scattering data and were used in a DWBA analysis of the inelastic scattering and single-nucleon transfer data. Satisfactory agreement was obtained for the angular distributions and for the spectroscopic factors. The two-nucleon transfer reactions appear to excite vibrational states. A DWBA analysis correctly describes the angular distributions for the two-proton transfer data. Most of the other few-nucleon transfer spectra exhibit little selective excitation but give a maximum at an energy consistent with the optimum Q-value predicte for direct transfer. Both the one- and twonucleon transfer data require that the ²⁶Mg ground state contains considerable (λ, μ) = (4. 8) components and is not pure (10, 2) as predicted by simple SU(3) calculations.     

Désintégration β− de 26Na

Gamma-rays following the β^? decay of ²⁶Na have been measured with a Ge(Li) detector. The ²⁶Na sources were produced by fast neutron bombardment of an enriched ²⁶Mg sample. Evidence for eight previously unreported β^? branches in the disintegration of ²⁶Na has been deduced and their log ft values determined. The half-life of ²⁶Na was measured to be 1.05 ± 0.02 s. Allowed β^? transitions (log ft = 4.7 and 6.1 respectively) to the 1.81 MeV, 2⁺, and to the 4.90 MeV, 4⁺, levels of ²⁶Mg determine J^π = 3⁺ for the ²⁶Na ground state.     

The 12C(18O, α)26Mg and 12C(18O, 8Be)22Ne reaction

Excitation functions for α-emission leading to the ground and first excited states of ²⁶Mg and ⁸Be emission leading to the ground and first and second excited states of ²²Ne have been measured at several forward angles for E_c.m. = 15 to 22.4 MeV. There is little evidence for correlated structure. The angular distribution at 16.5 MeV for the α + ²⁶Mg(g.s.) channel is rather structureless while that for the ⁸Be+²²Ne(g.s.) channel appears to be dominated by a J = 13 contribution. Statistical model calculations indicate that much of the yield for both the α and ⁸Be exit channel is compound nuclear in origin, with some indication of a larger direct contribution for the ⁸Be channel at the lower end of the bombarding energy range.     

DSAM lifetime measurements in 26Mg with high-velocity recoils

Mean lifetimes of eight levels in ²⁶Mg have been measured using the ⁴He(²³Na, p)²⁶Mg inverse reaction. The lifetimes, determined by fitting Doppler-broadened line shapes observed at 0° to the beam, are (E_x in MeV, J^πτ in ps): 1.809, 2⁺, 0.653 ± 0.039; 2.938, 2⁺, 0.204 ± 0.012; 3.941, 3⁺, 1.020 ± 0.126; 4.318, 4⁺, 0.392 ± 0.023; 4.332, 2⁺, 0.029 ± 0.004; 4.834, 2⁺, 0.041 ± 0.008; 4.900, 4⁺ 0.042 ± 0.008; 5.291, 2⁺, < 0.015. The lifetime for the 4.900 MeV, 4⁺ level, combined with accurate branching ratios for its decay to the 1.809, 2⁺ level, indicates that it is the 4⁺ member of the ground-state rotational band.     

The sub-Coulomb 12C + 12C resonances in a microscopic 12C+12C,α+20Ne, 8Be+16O cluster basis

The low-J resonances in the Coulomb barrier region of the ¹² C+¹²C system are investigated in the framework of a microscopic cluster model basis including ¹²C+¹²C, α+ ²⁰Ne, and su8 Be+ ¹⁶O fragment decompositions. Calculations are carried out in an orthogonality condition model approximation in which Pauli-forbidden components are properly excluded from the basis but in which the interaction among cluster fragments is approximated by a local potential, obtained from a gaussian NN interaction by a folding procedure leading to both spherical and Q · Q terms. Only minor adjustments of overall strength and fall-off parameters are introduced to gain a consistent picture of the low-energy spectrum in the separate rearrangement channels. The basis includes cluster relative motion excitations with oscillator quanta from 12 to 20 and is not quite rich enough to give a detailed quantitative comparison between theory and experiment. Predicted excitation energies are too high by ~ 3 MeV and predicted ¹²C partial widths are too small to indicate a well-developed surface-peaked molecular character; but it does appear possible to identify a 5 MeV region as the potential seat of the 0⁺, 2⁺, 4⁺ resonances. The number and approximate spacing of the resonance fine structure components are in agreement with experiment.