Hydrogen burning of O in the CNO cycle

The direct capture process in the ¹⁷O(p, γ)¹⁸F reaction has been used to determine the reduced proton widths of the states in ¹⁸F near the proton threshold. The observed upper limits on these widths are up to factors of 60 smaller than the previously assumed values implying a corresponding reduction of the stellar reaction rate for the ¹⁷O(p, )¹⁴N reaction. These results together with results from previous work lead to the conclusion that the CNO cycle is tricycling with the reactions ¹⁷O(p,γ)¹⁸F(β⁺ν)¹⁸O(p, )¹⁵N as the third cycle. The implications of these results on the equilibrium abundances of the elements synthesized in this cycle are discussed.     

Electro-pion production on O to bou nd states of the residual nuclei

Differential cross sections for the reactions 16O(γ, π−π+−)16F16F to the sum of the four lowest lying states in 16F and 16N have been measured as a function of angle for pions with a kinetic energy of 30 MeV. The extracted ratios R = σ(γ, π−)/σ(γ, π+), the first ones to discrete final states as a function of angle, are in fair agreement with results obtained for the nucleon. For positive pions the energy dependence of the cross section has been measured at the angles of 45° and 90°. Distorted wave impulse approximation calculations fail to describe the energy dependence.     

Band structures and proton-neutron interactions in Ta

Six rotational bands in the odd-odd nucleus ¹⁷⁴Ta have been populated with the ¹⁶⁰Gd(¹⁹F,5n) reaction. High-spin states were identified using the NORDBALL array. Both signatures of the doubly decoupled π1/2⁻ [541] ν1/2⁻ [521] band and semi-decoupled π1/2⁻ [541] ν7/2⁻ [633] band are observed, in addition to the high-K couplings of the π9/2⁻ [514] ν7/2⁺ [633], π9/2⁻ [514] ν5/2⁻ [512], π7/2⁺ [404] ν7/2⁺ [633], and π5/2⁺ [402] ν5/2⁻ [512] configurations. The signature splitting of the π1/2⁻ [541] ν7/2⁺ [633] band is inverted from the expected splitting, and this is interpreted as being due to a residual proton-neutron interaction. It is shown empirically that this interaction, together with deformation changes, can account for the increased crossing frequency associated with the alignment of i_13/2 neutrons in the π1/2⁻ [541] bands of odd-Z nuclei.     

Escape of charged particles at stopping annihilation of antiprotons in the heavy nuclei of nuclear photoemulsion

“Rare” annihilation channels for antiprotons stopping on heavy (Ag, Br) nuclei of photoemulsion, have been sought; 4872 stops of antiprotons on photoemulsion nuclei are analysed. Events of formation and decay of the hyperfragment _Λ⁴H, escape of ⁸He and ⁸Li nuclei, one-prong stars with the mean range 79.5±5.1 μm of secondary slow “b” particles are found among the annihilation stars at capture on nuclei (Ag, Br). The lower limits for the production probability of _Λ⁴H and ⁸He, ⁸Li nuclei per antiproton stopping in the nuclei (Ag, Br) are

W_Λ⁴H2×10⁻⁴ and W_⁸He,⁸Li=(1.3±0.6)×10⁻³.

The branching ratio for the production of one-prong stars with the secondary “b” particles is at least (1.3±0.6)×10⁻³. Possible mechanisms for a production of these events in annihilation processes are considered.     

Polarisation circulaire du rayonnement gamma de Sb, Cs et Ag

The βγ circular polarization correlation of the 3⁻(β⁻ 621 keV)3⁻(γ 1692)2⁺ cascade in ¹²⁴Sb, the 4⁺(β⁻ 662)4⁺ (γ 796)2⁺ (γ 605)0⁺ in ^13Z4Cs and the 6⁺(β⁻529)6⁺ (γ 937)4⁺ (γ 885)2⁺ (γ 658)0⁺ in ^110mAg have been studied by using a Compton effect polarimeter. The measured asymmetry parameters are 0.172±0.004, −0.0702 ±0.0024 and 0.0549±0.0013 respectively.     

Calculation of the beta decay of Pd. Quasiparticle random phase approximation results

Single beta decay transitions in ^114–120Pd are calculated. Theoreticalβ⁺ and β⁻ strength distributions, for transitions to 1⁺ states in the nuclei ^114–120Ag and ^114–120Rh, are obtained in the framework of the quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA). The effective two-body interaction which is used in the calculations is constructed from the Bonn one-boson-exchange potential (OBEP). Particle-hole and particle-particle like channels of the two-body force are included in the definition of the QRPA matrix equations. Effects associated with the particle number violation of the quasiparticle mean field are accounted for by using a particle-number-projected version of the QRPA formalism. Theoretical strength distributions for the β⁻ and β⁺ braches are shown and compared with data.     

Band structures of Se and Se

Band structures of ⁷⁶Se and ⁷⁸Se have been studied with the ^74,76Ge(, 2nγ)^76,78Se reactions by using a variety of in-beam γ-techniques : γ-ray singles spectra, γ-ray excitation functions, γ-γ-t coincidences, γ-ray angular distributions and γ-ray linear polarizations.

Spins and parities have been assigned uniquely for many new levels in ⁷⁶Se and ⁷⁸Se and four bands have been identified in both nuclei: (i) the ground-state band, (ii) a positive-parity ΔJ = 1 band built on the second 2⁺ state (γ-vibrational band), (iii) a negative-parity Δ J = 2 band built on the 3⁻ state (octupole band) and (iv) a ΔJ = 2 band built on the high-lying J = 4 state. In addition, the second 8 ⁺ and 10⁺ states, which are possibly the lowest members of a band, have been found in both nuclei.

Systematics of the band structures obtained are discussed. Level energies of the band members and B(E2) ratios for some of the inter-band transitions between γ- and ground-state bands have been calculated with the proton-neutron interacting boson model IBM-2 and a reasonable agreement with the present data has been obtained.     

Study of ω-, η-, η′- and D-mesic nuclei

Using the quark-meson coupling (QMC) model, we investigate whether ω, η, η′ and D⁻ mesons form meson-nucleus bound states. Our results suggest that one should expect to find η- and ω-nucleus bound states in all the nuclei considered. Furthermore, it is shown that the D⁻ meson will form quite narrow bound states with ²⁰⁸Pb.     

Radiative decay of ρ and φ mesons in a chiral unitary approach

We study the ρ⁰ and φ decays into π⁺π⁻γ, π⁰π⁰γ and φ into π⁰ηγ using a chiral unitary approach to deal with the final state interaction of the MM system. The final state interaction modifies only moderately the large momenta tail of the photon spectrum of the ρ⁰→π⁺π⁻γ decay. In the case of φ decay the contribution to π⁺π⁻γ and π⁰π⁰γ decay proceeds via kaonic loops and gives a distribution of ππ invariant masses in which the f₀(980) resonance shows up with a very distinct peak. The spectrum found for φ→π⁰π⁰γ decay agrees with the recent experimental results obtained at Novosibirsk. The branching ratio for φ→π⁰ηγ, dominated by the a₀(980), is also in agreement with recent Novosibirsk results.     

Coherent and incoherent η-photoproduction from nuclei

Elastic and inelastic η-photoproduction from complex nuclei is studied in a distorted-wave impulse approximation (DWIA) framework. The elementary operator is obtained by using a dynamical model which employs the reactions πN→πN, πN→ππN and π⁻p→ηn to fix the hadronic vertex as well as the isobar propagators and the process γN→πN to constrain the electromagnetic vertex. The nuclear structure input for the inelastic transitions has been extracted from electron-scattering form factors. The η final-state interaction has been included via a simple optical potential using the ηN t-matrix as an input. We find that coherent η-production is dominated by the D₁₃(1520) isobar while spin-flip transitions to excited nuclear states are sensitive to the S₁₁(1535) resonance. Predictions are given for coherent production on ⁴He, ¹²C and ⁴⁰Ca, as well as incoherent production on ⁶Li, ¹⁰B and ¹²C.     

Hadron-nucleus bound states

A new type of nuclear spectroscopy to study hadron-nucleus bound states is described. The first successful experiment was to search for deeply bound π⁻ states in heavy nuclei using the ²⁰⁸Pb(d,³He) reaction at GSI, in which a narrow peak arising from the 2p π⁻ orbital coupled with the neutron-hole states was observed at 135 MeV excitation energy. An improved experiment has just been carried out to separately identify the 1s and 2p π⁻ states. These experiments provide important information on the local potential strength, from which the effective mass of π⁻ is deduced to be 20 MeV. This method will be extended to search for η and ω bound states as well as for K⁻ bound states. The advantage of the bound-state spectroscopy versus invariant mass spectroscopy is emphasized.     

Symmetry breaking and the decays ψ′ → J/ψπ(η) and J/ψ → η(η′) γ

The theoretical mechanisms for the decays ψ′ → ψπ⁰ and ψ′ → ψη, which violate SU₂ and SU₃, respectively discussed. It is argued that symmetry breaking in the decay amplitudes may be as important as π⁰ −η −η′ mixing. The π⁰ −η mechanism ψ′ → ψν → ψπ⁰ leads to Γ(ψ′ → ψπ⁰) = (3.3±1.0) × 10⁻³ Γ(ψ′ → ψν), but this number may be enhanced by a factor as large as 12 by π⁰−η′ mixing and isospin violation in the decay amplitude. The related decays ψ → ηγ and ψ → η′γ are also discussed.     

Investigation of parity mixing in Ta and Lu by measurement of the circular polarization of γ-rays

The circular polarization of the 482 keV γ-radiation of ¹⁸¹Ta and the 343 keV γ-radiation of ¹⁷⁵Lu was measured with a Compton polarimeter. Spurious effects arising from higher order contributions of quantum electrodynamics to the Compton scattering cross section were discovered. The results for the polarization are P = − (4.1±1.3)10⁻⁶ for ¹⁸¹Ta and P = − (1.5±6.0)10⁻⁶ for ¹⁷⁵Lu. These values are corrected for instrument asymmetries, bremsstrahlung and intensity of other lines.     

Complete structure determination of the astrophysically important nucleus Na below the proton threshold

The fusion–evaporation reaction ¹⁰B(¹²C, 2n) was used to make the first observation of in-beam γ decays from the astrophysically important nucleus ²⁰Na, lying adjacent to the proton drip-line. All states below the proton threshold in ²⁰Na were populated and identified in the experiment. These include new levels, previously unresolved levels, and states located with improved energy precision. The level structure of ²⁰Na, and its γ transitions, are compared to the mirror partner ²⁰F measured simultaneously in this experiment. In particular, a high degree of energy stability is found for all negative parity states. These results are discussed in the context of the nuclear shell model.     

Heavy-ion reactions induced by O, O and F ions

Excitation curves have been determined from γ-ray yield measurements for heavyion reactions induced by E_lab = 12–30 MeV ¹⁶O, ¹⁸O and ¹⁹F ions incident upon thick targets of ⁹Be, ¹⁰B, ¹¹B, ¹²C and ²³Na. The yields of radioactive decay products with half-lives greater than one second were measured; hence a large number of the outgoing reaction channels could be observed. The preponderance of heavy reaction products suggests compound-nucleus formation as the dominant reaction mechanism. Statistical-model calculations with a spin-dependent level density have been performed, in which the nuclear moment of inertia was treated as a parameter. Many of the results can be explained satisfactorily with a nuclear moment of inertia 0.55 to 0.7 of the rigid body value.     

Experimental study of the time-dependent rate of K → πππ

The time-dependence of the decay rate of initially pure K⁰ into the final state (π⁺π⁻π⁰) has been studied in search for the decay k_S⁰→π⁺π⁻π⁰. No evidence is found in a sample of 384 observed events. The ratio of the CP -violating K_S⁰ amplitude and the K_L⁰ amplitude is η₊₋₀ = (0.13_−0.20^+0.17) + i(0.17_−0.26^+0.27); the ratio of the CP-conserving K_S⁰ amplitude and the K_L⁰ amplitude is < 0.4. The energy dependence of the K⁰→π⁺π⁻π⁰ matrix element is found to be a₊₋₀ = −0.31 ± 0.03.     

Continuum effects in excited states of light hypernuclei

The spectra of the hypernuclei ⁶_ΛLi, ⁷_ΛLi and ⁹_ΛBe are calculated in the lambda particle - neutron hole basis using the Green's function method. The model includes the effects of the Λ continuum. As a result the Λ escape widths are calculated. for the various hypernuclear states. A comparison with the recently measured strangeness exchange (K⁻, π⁻) reaction results is made.     

Short-range order and F ion diffusion inside the Pb1 − xAlxF2 + x solid solution Part II: Al NMR investigation and proposal of clustering process

A ²⁷Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) investigation at room temperature of the Pb_{1 − x}Al_xF_{2 + x} (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.12) solid solution and of the ordered Pb₉Al₂F₂₄ phase is carried out. Two different types of aluminium ions are identified and their ratio is determined as a function of x. A clustering process based on the formation of column clusters, more and more extended when x increases, is proposed on the basis of results issued from the ¹⁹F (Part I) and ²⁷Al NMR investigations.     

Oxygen isotope effect of superconducting (Nd1−xCex)2CuO4−δ system

The effect of oxygen isotope substitution on the transition temperature T_c of a superconducting (Nd_1−xCe_x)₂CuO_4−δ system was studied, where the special synthetic method was taken to minimize ambiguous factors on the oxygen concentration and to guarantee the complete substitution of ¹⁶O by ¹⁸O. The isotope exponent in the relationship of T_c∝1/M was estimated to be less than 0.15 by magnetic susceptibility measurements.