Measurement of the Dalitz-decay branching ratio of the π<Superscript>0</Superscript>

The ratio is measured by comparing the production rates of the π⁰ in the two decay channels. The analysis is based on approximately four million hadronic decays of the Z boson recorded by the ALEPH detector in the years 1991 to 1995. The value of is determined to be . A recalculation of the Particle Data Group world average gives rise to a slightly improved error, and moves the world average closer to the theoretical value.     

Scheme of the β-decay of <Superscript>234</Superscript>Th

The scheme of the β-decay of ²³⁴Th is still not completely clear. Only the upper bound (10 keV) of the energy of the isomeric transition from level T_1/2 = 1.17 min of the ²³⁴Pa nucleus is known, and the correspondence between gamma quanta of several energies emitted in the β-decay of ²³⁴Th and specific nuclear levels of ²³⁴Pa has not been established. In this work, the isomeric transition energy of 2.6 ± 0.5 keV is determined via the γ-spectrometry of a ²³⁴Th source in γγ-coincidences, and a new ²³⁴Pa level populated in the β-decay of ²³⁴Th is introduced.     

Measurements of the isotopic composition of UF<Subscript>6</Subscript> according to the fine structure of the IR absorption spectrum in the ν<Subscript>1</Subscript> + ν<Subscript>3</Subscript> band

Absorption spectra of the Q-branch of the ν₁ + ν₃ vibrational–rotational band of uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) recorded in a range of 1290.0–1292.5 cm^–1 using a laser spectrometer based on a quantum cascade laser have been studied. The spectra of samples with a natural isotopic composition (0.7% U²³⁵), an enriched sample (90% U²³⁵), and their gas mixtures (2, 5, and 20% U²³⁵) in a pressure range of 10–70 Torr at a temperature of T = 296 K have been analyzed. The experiments have revealed a highly reproducible fine structure of the recorded spectra. Periodic singularities in the fine-structure spectra have been interpreted as a manifestation of hot band transitions near the Q-branch. Anharmonicity constants X ₂₁, X ₃₁, and X ₃₂ and their combinations X _i1 + X _i3 (i = 4, 5, 6) have been determined. The characteristic features in the fine-structure spectra and the initial spectrum have been used to determine the isotopic composition of enriched UF₆ samples.     

Comparison of the Effects of Different <Superscript>19</Superscript>F <Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis> Pulses on the Sensitivity and Phaseability of the <Superscript>19</Superscript>F-<Superscript>13</Superscript>C HSQC

The ¹⁹F-¹³C heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) experiment is vital for the structural elucidation of polyfluorinated organic species, yet its sensitivity and phaseability are limited by difficulties in uniform excitation of the widely disperse ¹⁹F spectral window. Adiabatic pulses of different types have previously been employed to generate effective π pulses for inversion and refocussing, but a systematic comparison of various adiabatic and other inversion pulses has not been published. In this work, it was observed that the use of a broadband inversion pulse (BIP) during the t ₁ evolution period resulted in properly phaseable spectra for experiments optimized to detect ¹ J _CF, in contrast to CHIRP or WURST adiabatic pulses. For the INEPT and reverse-INEPT transfer segments of the HSQC, optimal sensitivity for resonances distant from the transmitter frequency was afforded by optimized universal rotation (BURBOP) or CHIRP pulses. In HSQC experiments with delays optimized for two-bond correlations, only the use of BURBOP pulses in INEPT and reverse-INEPT sequences afforded spectra cleanly phaseable across the F ₂ and F ₁ spectral windows. This observation is supported by off-resonance pulsed field gradient spin-echo experiments.     

On the energy of the 8<Stack><Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript></Stack> 1479-keV level in <Superscript>178</Superscript>Hf

The difference in the 332-and 326-keV transition energies from ¹⁷⁸Ta decay is measured with a magnetic β spectrometer and a γ spectrometer. The energy of the 332-keV transition (E(332) = 331 607 ± 4 eV) and the energy of the 8 ₂ ^? 1479-keV level in ¹⁷⁸Hf (E(1479) = 1479001 ± 6 eV) are determined with high accuracy.     

Using of the χ<Superscript>2</Superscript> criterion to evaluate the quality of the placement of transitions in the level scheme

The results from a statistical analysis of the evaluated nuclear structure data file (ENSDF) are presented. The article deals with the procedures for evaluating of the quality of the placement of transitions in the level scheme.     

Accurate characterisation of the C(3)<Superscript>1</Superscript>Σ<Superscript>+</Superscript> state of the NaRb molecule

We present a first detailed experimental study of the C(3)¹Σ⁺ state of the NaRb molecule converging to the Na(3p) + Rb(5s) states of separated atoms. Two different high resolution spectroscopic methods have been applied: the Fourier transform spectroscopy of laser induced fluorescence and the V-type optical-optical double resonance polarization labeling spectroscopy. The entire data field for the C¹Σ⁺ state of Na⁸⁵Rb and Na⁸⁷Rb consists of rovibrational levels with v'=0–64 and J'=4–123. The data were incorporated into a direct fit of a single potential energy curve to the level energies using the Inverted Perturbation Approach method. As the experimental data extend to the “shelf" region of the potential at large internuclear separations of 8.5 ?, the C state's suitability for photoassociation yielding cold heteronuclear NaRb is discussed. Electronic supplementary material Online Material     

On the nature of the 17 μs isomer of the <Superscript>133</Superscript>Sb valence nucleus

The decay of the 17 μs isomer of ¹³³Sb was re-investigated experimentally. It was produced by thermal neutron induced fission of ²⁴¹Pu. Its detection is based on time correlation between fission fragments selected by the LOHENGRIN spectrometer at ILL (Grenoble), and the γ-rays, and conversion electrons from the isomer. The interpretation of the level scheme is based on shell model calculations, where empirical two-body matrix elements were employed. The good agreement between theory and experiment suggests that the isomer is the 21/2⁺ member of the 2p-1h πg _7/2ν(f _7/2 h _11/2 ⁻¹) configuration. Received: 20 January 2000 / Revised version: 28 February 2000     

Assessment of the relaxation of the autocorrelation function for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ã</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> excited state of the NO<Subscript>2</Subscript> molecule

Based on the Bixon-Jortner model of two coupled vibrational ensembles, an analytical expression for the autocorrelation function |P(t)|² of the à ² B ₂ of the term of the NO₂ molecule is derived. Proceeding from the known relaxation parameters of the autocorrelator, a fast method for estimating the nonadiabatic matrix element of the \(\tilde A^2 B_2 - \tilde X^2 A_1\) transition in NO₂ is proposed.     

Perturbative analysis of the 2νββ decays of <Superscript>100</Superscript>Mo and <Superscript>116</Superscript>Cd

We have performed a theoretical analysis of the ground-state-to-ground-state transitions in ¹⁰⁰Mo and ¹¹⁶Cd, based on the quasiparticle random-phase approximation and on a straightforward perturbative scheme. The results show that the single-state dominance found in the realistic calculations of the nuclear matrix elements, which is consistent with data, can be viewed as a result of the interference between few two-quasiparticle configurations. Received: 12 August 2002 / Accepted: 23 October 2002 / Published online: 18 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: civitarese@fisica.unlp.edu.ar Communicated by V.V. Anisovich     

Is the size of <Emphasis Type="Italic">θ</Emphasis> <Subscript>13</Subscript> related to the smallness of the solar mass splitting?

θ₁₃ is small compared to the other neutrino mixing angles. The solar mass splitting is about two orders smaller than the atmospheric splitting. We indicate how both could arise from a perturbation of a more symmetric structure. The perturbation also affects the solar mixing angle and can tweak alternate mixing patterns such as tribimaximal, bimaximal, or other variants to viability. For real perturbations only normal mass ordering with the lightest neutrino mass less than 10^?2 eV can accomplish this goal. Both mass orderings can be accommodated by going over to complex perturbations if the lightest neutrino is heavier. The CP-phase in the lepton sector, fixed by θ₁₃ and the lightest neutrino mass, distinguishes different options.     

Parameters of the collisionally broadened <Emphasis Type="Italic">R22</Emphasis> absorption line of the 10<Superscript>0</Superscript>0–00<Superscript>0</Superscript>1 transition of the CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> molecule

A frequency stabilized, tuneable CO₂ laser is used to measure the unsaturated absorption coefficients of pure carbon dioxide gas at pressures of 1 and 100 Torr and temperatures of 296–700 K. The radiative transition probability and the temperature dependence of the collisional self-broadening coefficient are determined for the R22 absorption line of the 10⁰0-00⁰1 transition of the CO₂ molecule. The exponent on the temperature is found to depend on the method used to determine the collisional self-broadening coefficient.     

Characteristics of the discrete and continuous spectra of the <Superscript>4</Superscript>He + Λ system

In view of projected experiments on the production of relativistic hypernuclei and the investigation of reactions induced by them, the characteristics of the hypernucleus and low-energy parameters of the _Λ ⁵ He hyperon scattering from ⁴He were calculated. The interaction of the Λ hyperon and the α particle is described by the effective Λα potential in two different forms. The root-mean-square radius of the Λ hyperon in the _Λ ⁵ He hypernucleus, the vertex constant for the _Λ ⁵ He ? ⁴He + Λ process, and the corresponding asymptotic normalization coefficient of the _Λ ⁵ He wave function were calculated by solving the radial Schrödinger equation. The scattering length and the effective radius for the scattering of Λ from ⁴He were calculated by two methods. The calculated characteristics turn out to be sensitive to the form of the Λα potential.     

Spectroscopy of the <Stack><Subscript>Λ</Subscript><Superscript>7</Superscript></Stack>He nucleus in a three-cluster model

The _Λ ⁷ He hypernucleus is considered within the _Λ ⁵ He + n + n cluster model. The hyperon—nucleon interaction is described by a one-boson-exchange potential that is constructed on the basis of the NSC97f model. Phenomenological potentials are used to describe the αΛ and αN interactions. For the _Λ ⁵ Hen interaction, use is made of the folding-model potential. The calculations of the hyperon binding energy in the ground state of the _Λ ⁷ He hypernucleus on the basis of Faddeev equations in configuration space yield a result (5.35 MeV) that agrees well with preliminary experimental data (5.4 MeV). The problem of calculating the hyperon binding energy within the three-body approach is discussed. In calculating the energy spectrum of _Λ ⁷ He, use is made of a version of the method of analytic continuation in the coupling constant. Low-lying excited states of this nucleus can be classified as an analog of the corresponding states of the ⁶He nucleus with allowance for the clustering of the _Λ ⁵ He+n+n system in the ⁶He(J ^π)+Λ(s) form.     

Mechanism of the production of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript>(980) resonance in the γγ → π<Superscript>0</Superscript>η reaction

High-statistics Belle data on the γγ → π⁰η reaction have been analyzed in order to reveal the mechanism of two-photon production and the nature of the a ₀(980) resonance. The solution obtained for the γγ → π⁰η amplitude is in agreement with the predictions of the chiral theory for the πη-scattering length; with the strong coupling of the a ₀(980) resonance with the πη, K $ \bar K $ \bar K , and πη′ channels; and with the key role of the a ₀(980) → (K $ \bar K $ \bar K + π⁰η + π⁰η′) → γγ rescattering mechanisms in the a ₀(980) → γγ decay. This picture is much in favor of the q ² $ \bar q $ \bar q ² nature of a ₀(980) resonance and is consistent with the properties of its partners, σ₀(600) and f ₀(980) resonances, in particular, with those manifested in the γγ → ππ reactions. The important role of vector exchanges in the formation of the nonresonant background in the γγ → π⁰η reaction has been revealed. Preliminary information on the π⁰η → π⁰η reaction has been obtained.     

Study of the parameters of the He(3 <Superscript>3</Superscript>S)-He(2 <Superscript>3</Superscript>P) line *

We have observed emission spectrum in dense plasmas of helium excited by a corona discharge at 706.69 nm. In continuation of an analysis of spectra obtained in gaseous helium at 300 K, we report on a study of the line parameters of the observed spectra. We discuss the major importance of temperature and perturber density in the broadening, shift and asymmetry measured from calculated profiles within a unified line shape semi-classical theory. The comparison is done with existing data derived from experimental spectra at 300 K. The theoretical work is extended at lower temperatures down to 40 K.     

On the sensitivity of the spatial-angular distribution of the Cherenkov light in extensive air showers to the mass composition of primary cosmic rays with energies of 10<Superscript>15</Superscript>–10<Superscript>16</Superscript> eV

This paper analyses the possibility of separating distinct groups of nuclei of primary cosmic rays with energies of 10¹⁵–10¹⁶ eV from the data on the spatial-angular distribution of Cherenkov light in extensive air showers. The paper shows that using an array of a few (3–4) telescopes with a moderately sized angular cell ∼0.5° placed at a distance ∼100 m from one another, one can achieve almost complete separation of the showers initiated by these nuclei (the Bayesian classification error is a few percentage points for the case of separating primary protons and nitrogen nuclei). The authors propose new parameters of the angular Cherenkov image that can greatly enhance the separability of the shower classes as compared to the approach based on the traditional parameters.