Nuclear excitation by electron capture followed by fast x-ray emission

The resonance strength of the two-step process of nuclear excitation by electron capture followed by γ decay of the nucleus can be significantly increased in highly charged ions if the resonant capture proceeds via an excited electronic state with subsequent fast x-ray emission. For fully ionized ²³⁸₉₂U and ²³²₉₀Th, the x-ray decay stabilizes the system against internal conversion of the captured electron, with an increase of both nuclear lifetimes and resonance strengths of up to two orders of magnitude compared with the case when occupied atomic orbitals prevent the x-ray de-excitation. Applications of this effect to the measurement of the not yet experimentally observed nuclear excitation by electron capture and to dense astrophysical plasmas are discussed.     

Dynamics of α-clusters in N = Z nuclei

The systematics for binding energies per α-particle in N = Z nuclei, E _Bα/N _α, are studied up to ¹⁶⁴Pb. It is shown that, although a geometrical model can be used to explain the systematics for light nuclei, the binding energy per α-particle exhibits structures which are due to the well-known shells of the mean field of nucleons in nuclei. The overall dependence of E _Bα/N _α on N _α in N = Z nuclei (for the ground-state masses) can be described in a liquid-drop model of α-particles. Conditions for a phase change with the formation of an α-particle condensate, a dilute Bose gas in excited compound nuclei are discussed for E _Bα/N _α = 0, at the thresholds. This is achieved when the binding energy per nucleon in nuclei is equal to or smaller than in the α-cluster. At somewhat smaller excitation energies the appearance of a Bose gas with a closed-shell core (N = Z, e.g. of ⁴⁰Ca) is proposed within the same concept. The experimental observation of the decay of such condensed α-particle states is proposed with the coherent emission of several correlated α-particles not described by the Hauser-Feshbach approach for compound-nucleus decay. This decay will be observed by the emission of unbound resonances in the form of ⁸Be and ¹²C ^* (0⁺ ₂) clusters.     

The fragmentation of negative ions of fullerene C60 trifluoromethyl derivatives

The formation and decay of gas-phase negative ions of trifluoromethylated fullerenes C₆₀(CF₃) _n (n = 2–10) were studied. The resonance electron capture mass spectra were measured to find that the main fragmentation channel of negative ions was the detachment of trifluoromethyl groups. The degree of fragmentation directly depended on the energy of electrons and reached the complete splitting off of all the CF₃ addends with the formation of C₆₀⁻ ions. The observed metastable ion signals were analyzed to determine the scheme of sequential fragmentation of negative ions.     

Fragmentation of sputtered Si<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>O<Stack><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis></Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> clusters: Release kinetic and dissociation energies

The spectra of kinetic energies of positive Si _n O _m ⁺ cluster ions (n = 2–5, m = 2–7) have been measured using a double focusing ion microanalyzer with reverse geometry at instants 10⁻⁵ to 10⁻⁴ s after emission. The dissociation energies have been determined within the evaporative ensemble model and the theory of unimolecular decay reactions. The results obtained are compared with the binding energies of neutral Si _n O _m clusters.     

The reaction πN → ππN in a meson-exchange approach

A resonance model for two-pion production in the pion-nucleon reaction is developed that includes information obtained in the analysis of pion-nucleon scattering in a meson-exchange model. The baryonic resonances Δ(1232), N^*(1440), N^*(1520), N^*(1535), and N^*(1650) are included. The model reproduces the total cross-sections up to kinetic energies of the incident pion of 400MeV and obtains the shapes of the differential cross-sections in reasonable agreement with the data.     

Spectroscopic investigation of thallium 6<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>6<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript> configuration at electron-atom collisions: I. Spectra

Thallium emission spectra in the 115–300 nm range excited by electron-atom collisions at electron energies of 12–300 eV are investigated. A number of weak lines that cannot be unidentified using spectroscopic tables are found in the 140–170 nm range. Two of them (144.9 and 148.0 nm) are attributed to the radiative decay of levels that belong to the 6s6p ² configuration and that lie above the ionization potential. A weak emission with an excitation threshold of about 9 eV is revealed in the vicinity of the Tl II resonance line at 132.2 nm. The excitation function of the emission is measured for electron energies below 15.5 eV. It is found that the emission consists of two lines, which also appear due to the excitation of the 6s6p ² configuration and correspond to the radiative decay of levels that are common with the lines at 144.9 and 148.0 nm mentioned above. Their calculated wavelengths are 130.2 and 132.7 nm, respectively.     

Experimental investigation of ligand effects on the conversion electron spectrum of the 22.5 keV M1 + E2 nuclear transition in <Superscript>149</Superscript>Sm

The conversion electron spectrum of the 22.5keV M1 + E2 nuclear transition in ¹⁴⁹Sm from the electron capture decay of ¹⁴⁹Eu was experimentally studied for the “Eu₂O₃” and “EuF₃” compounds in which ¹⁴⁹Eu ions have the same assumed oxidation number +3 . While the energies of the L, M, N, O, and P₁ conversion lines for “EuF₃” were lower, on average, by 1.7(1), 2.7(2), 2.3(3), 4.1(2), and 5.7(9)eV, respectively, than those for “Eu₂O₃”, no changes between the two ligand complexes were observed for relative intensities of the conversion lines and their natural widths within the error limits.     

Photoproduction of η -mesons off protons

Photoproduction of η -mesons was studied with the Crystal-Barrel detector at ELSA for photon energies in the range from 0.75 to 3GeV. Total and differential cross-sections are presented. The η mesons are detected in two decay modes, in η → 2γ and in η → 3π⁰ → 6γ . The cross-sections vary slowly as functions of energy and η production angle suggesting that only few resonances make significant contributions to the cross-section. For photon energies above 1.5GeV, the differential cross-sections show a strong forward peak due to meson exchanges in the t channel. A comparison of the η -photoproduction cross-sections with SAID and MAID as well as with a partial-wave analysis performed on our data in combination with other data sets shows good agreement. The Bonn-Gatchina partial-wave analysis suggests that the largest contribution to η photoproduction for energies below 3GeV proceeds via three resonances, the well-known N(1535)S ₁₁ , via N(1720)P ₁₃ , and a newly suggested N(2070)D ₁₅ .     

Resonant photoemission in highly localized versus weakly localized solids

We report on comparative study of angle-resolved photoelectron spectra of Ni metal and CeGd at theM _III andN _IV,V soft-x-ray absorption threshold, respectively. OnM _III resonance, the valence-band photoemission (PE) intensity of Ni follows a cos²-behavior, while the intensity of the 6-eV satellite is independent of the angle of emission relative to the E-vector of the incoming beam. On the other hand, the 4f Ce PE signal behaves cos² onN _IV,V resonance. This clearly shows that the resonant enhancement of the 6-eV PE satellite of Ni is mainly caused by an incoherent Auger decay and cannot be described as a resonant PE process.     

A Note on Classical Ground State Energies

The pair-specific ground state energy ε _g (N):=ℰ _g (N)/(N(N−1)) of Newtonian N body systems grows monotonically in N. This furnishes a whole family of simple new tests for minimality of putative ground state energies ℰ _g ^x (N) obtained through computer experiments. Inspection of several publicly available lists of such computer-experimentally obtained putative ground state energies ℰ _g ^x (N) has yielded several dozen instances of ℰ _g ^x (N) which failed one of these tests; i.e., for those N one concludes that ℰ _g ^x (N)>ℰ _g (N) strictly. Although the correct ℰ _g (N) is not revealed by this method, it does yield a better upper bound on ℰ _g (N) than ℰ _g ^x (N) whenever ℰ _g ^x (N) fails a monotonicity test. The surveyed N-body systems include in particular N point charges with 2- or 3-dimensional Coulomb pair interactions, placed either on the unit 2-sphere or on a 2-torus (a.k.a. Thomson, Fekete, or Riesz problems).     

Fine structure of the strength function for β<Superscript>+</Superscript>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">EC</Emphasis> decay of <Superscript>160<Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis></Superscript>Ho (25.6 min)

A strength function for the β⁺/EC decay of the deformed ^160g Ho (25.6 min) nucleus has been obtained from experimental data. The fine structure of the strength function S _β(E) is analyzed. It is found to have a pronounced resonant structure for Gamow-Teller transitions. In S _β(E) with μ_τ = +1 the Gamow-Teller resonance has been observed to split into two components. This splitting is associated with anisotropy of isovector density oscillation in deformed nuclei. The β⁺/EC strength function for first-forbidden transitions is obtained in the Coulomb (ξ) approximation. It is shown that S _β(E) for first-forbidden transitions does not have a pronounced resonant structure. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Ion molecule collisions investigated via nuclear resonance fluorescence

The method of nuclear resonance fluorescence has been applied to analyse the profileN(E) of the 285 keV gamma line of⁷⁵As after electron capture decay of⁷⁵Se in gaseous⁷⁵SeH₂ sources. The profileN(E) depends on the velocity distribution of the radioactive As ions at the moment of γ-decay and, hence, is strongly dependent on the slowing down mechanism. Investigating sources with pressures of 1.5, 15, and 177 Torr different states of the slowing down process could be studied. A simple model is developed that describes the basic properties of the experimental line profiles.     

Fine structure of the strength function for the β<Superscript>+</Superscript>/EC decay of the <Superscript>160<Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis></Superscript>Ho (5.02 h) isomer

The strength function for the β⁺/EC decay of the deformed nucleus of the ^160m Ho (5.02 h) isomer is obtained from the experimental data, The fine structure of the strength function S _β(E) is analyzed. It has a pronounced resonance structure for Gamow-Teller transitions and is found to exhibit a resonance structure for first-forbidden transitions. It is shown that for some excitation energies of the 160Dy daughter nucleus the probability of first-forbidden β⁺/EC transitions in the decay of the ^160m Ho isomer is comparable with the probability of Gamow-Teller β⁺/EC transitions.     

Decay reactions of rare gas cluster ions: Kinetic energy release distributions and binding energies

We have carried out measurements on metastable fragmentation of mass selected argon cluster ions which are produced by electron impact ionization of a neutral argon cluster beam. From the shape of the fragment ion peaks (MIKE scan technique) one can deduce information about the distribution of kinetic energy that is released in the decay reaction. In this study, for Ar ₅ ⁺ to Ar ₁₅ ⁺, it is Gaussian and thus we can calculate from the peak width the mean kinetic energy release 〈KER〉 of the corresponding decay reactions. Using finite heat bath theory we calculate from these data the binding energies of the decaying cluster ions. Received 20 November 2000     

Absolute cross sections of electron attachment to molecular clusters. Part II: Formation of (H2O) N? , (N2O) N? , and (N2) N?

Absolute cross sections σ⁻(E, N) of electron attachment to clusters (H₂O) _N , (N₂O) _N , and (N₂) _N for varying electron energy E and cluster size N are measured by using crossed electron and cluster beams in a vacuum. Continua of σ⁻(E) are found that correlate well with the functions of electron impact excitation of molecules’ internal degrees of freedom. The electron is attached through its solvation in a cluster. In the formation of (H₂O) _N ⁻ , (N₂O) _N ⁻ , and (N₂) _N ⁻ , the curves σ⁻(N) have a well-defined threshold because of a rise in the electron thermalization and solvation probability with N. For (H₂O)₉₀₀, (N₂O)₃₅₀, and (N₂)₂₆₀ clusters at E = 0.2 eV, the energy losses by the slow electron in the cluster are estimated as 3.0 × 10⁷, 2.7 × 10⁷, and 6.0 × 10⁵ eV/m, respectively. It is found that the growth of σ⁻ with N is the fastest for (H₂O) _N and (N₂) _N clusters at E → 0 as a result of polarization capture of the s-electron. Specifically, at E = 0.1 eV and N = 260, σ⁻ = 3.0 × 10⁻¹³ cm² for H₂O clusters, 8.0 × 10⁻¹⁴ cm² for N₂O clusters, and 1.4 × 10⁻¹⁵ cm² for N₂ clusters; at E = 11 eV, σ⁻ = 9.0 × 10⁻¹⁶ cm² for (H₂O)₂₀₀ clusters, 2.4 × 10⁻¹⁴ cm² for (N₂O)₃₅₀ clusters, and 5.0 × 10⁻¹⁷ cm² for (N₂)₂₆₀ clusters; finally, at E = 30 eV, σ⁻ = 3.6 × 10⁻¹⁷ cm² for (N₂O)₁₀ clusters and 3.0 × 10⁻¹⁷ cm² for (N₂)₁₂₅ clusters. Original Russian Text ? A.A. Vostrikov, D.Yu. Dubov, 2006, published in Zhurnal Tekhnicheskoĭ Fiziki, 2006, Vol. 76, No. 12, pp. 1–15.     

Study of the reaction γp → pπ0η

The reaction γp → pπ⁰η has been studied with the CBELSA detector at the tagged photon beam of the Bonn electron stretcher facility. The reaction shows contributions from Δ⁺(1232)η , N(1535)⁺π⁰ and pa ₀(980) as intermediate states. A partial-wave analysis suggests that the reaction proceeds via formation of six Δ -resonances, Δ(1600)P ₃₃ , Δ(1920)P ₃₃ , Δ(1700)D ₃₃ , Δ(1940)D ₃₃ , Δ(1905)F ₃₅ , Δ(2360)D ₃₃ , and two nucleon resonances N(1880)P ₁₁ and N(2200)P ₁₃ , for which pole positions and decay branching ratios are given.     

Analysis of angular distributions in γN → πeta;N

Angular distributions in the final state of π⁰η photoproduction on nucleons are considered. As a formal base the familiar isobar model is used in which the π⁰ηN state is a product of the resonance decay into ηΔ(1232) and πS ₁₁(1535) channels. One of the principal assumptions used is that in the actual energy region the reaction is dominated by a single resonance state. The developed formalism can serve as a tool for testing spin and parity of that resonance.     

Langmuir probe and spectroscopic studies of RF generated helium-nitrogen mixture plasma

This paper reports the effect of helium percentage variation in a capacitive RF helium-nitrogen mixture plasma on various plasma parameters and concentration of nitrogen active species (N₂(C³Π _u) and N₂ ⁺(B²Σ _u ⁺)). Langmuir probe is used for determination of electron energy distribution functions, effective electron temperature, plasma potential and electron density. Optical emission spectroscopy is used for determination of electron temperature from Boltzmann's plot of He–I lines and the relative changes in the concentration of active species by measuring the emission intensities of nitrogen (0-0) bands of the second positive and the first negative systems. The results demonstrate that electron temperature, electron density and concentration of active species increase significantly with increase in helium percentage in the mixture and RF power.     

Search for the f1(1285) → π+π-π0 decay with the VES detector

The isospin-violating decay f ₁(1285) → π⁺π^-π⁰ has been studied at the VES facility. This study is based on the statistics acquired in π^- Be interactions at 27, 36.6 and 41 GeV/c in the diffractive reaction π^- N → (f ₁π^-)N . The f ₁(1285) → π⁺π^-π⁰ decay is observed. The preliminary ratio of decay probabilities BR(f ₁(1285) → π⁺π^-π⁰) to BR(f ₁(1285) → ηπ⁺π^-)^. BR(η → γγ) is ∼ 2% . Original article based on material presented at HADRON 2007.