Shape co-existence and structural evolution of the Vi13/2 band in 157Yb

The high-spin states of 157Yb have been studied via the reaction of 144Sm(16O, 3n) at 16O energy of 90 MeV using techniques of in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy. Measurement of γ-γ-t coincidences was performed with 11 BGO(AC)HPGe detectors. Based on the γ-γ coincidence relationships and the measured results of γ-ray anisotropies and DCO ratios, the level scheme for 157Yb was established. The shape co-existence and structural evolution of the Vi13/2 band with increasing angular momentum in 157Yb have been discussed. The systematics of the Vi13/2 bands in the N = 87 odd-A isotones have been compared.     

Radio waves and γ-ray emission from astrophysical sources

A mechanism of X- and γ-ray emission by relativistic electrons at interaction with astrophysical objects (maser clouds) is considered and the contribution of this mechanism to the formation of a continuous spectrum and its correlation with radio-wave radiation are investigated. The radiation yield upon deexcitation of a quantum system by an electron exceeds that of “conventional” (i.e., without a change in the quantum-system state) bremsstrahlung at small nuclear charges (Z < 10) and may be about 8% of the total γ-ray intensity. It is shown that in the direction in which the γ-ray intensity increases, one should observe radio waves corresponding to a particular maser source.     

Survey meter combining CVD diamond and silicon detectors for wide range of dose rates and high accumulated doses

We have developed a prototype of a survey meter combining a CVD diamond detector and silicon detectors to appropriately take temporal measurements of γ-ray radiations over a wide range of the dose rates and to measure high accumulated doses of γ-ray radiations. In order to carry out this, at first, we have studied the radiation hardness of diamond detectors suitably fabricated with high-quality single-crystalline CVD diamond films to confirm that such CVD diamond detectors have greatly superior radiation hardness, compared with commercially available silicon detectors. It is evidenced that the performance of the CVD diamond detector did not significantly change even after heavy γ-ray irradiation of 0.7 MGy while the silicon detectors have a remarkable increase in the dark current, a detection peak shift to the low energy side, and a decrease in detection counts for 5.486-MeV α particles. Due to a size limitation of the CVD diamond detector, such a CVD diamond detector was combined with six commercially available silicon detectors to fabricate a survey meter which can appropriately work under severe irradiation conditions, or, at accumulated doses larger than at least 0.5 MGy and which can cover a wide range of the dose rates from 1 μGy/h to at least 1 kGy/h. The prototype survey meter had a practically useful linearity in this dose rate range. Thus, we have confirmed that such a diamond-Si combined survey meter can be put into practical use.     

液体闪烁体探测器γ射线测量研究

利用几种单能γ源对BC501A型液体闪烁体探测器进行能量刻度, 以得到探测器对电子的光输出响应函数。 介绍了用蒙特卡罗模拟法确定康普顿边缘所对应的电子能量的方法, 得到的结果与用半高点确定康普顿边缘方法所得的结果做了比较。 利用德国PTB开发的PHRESP蒙特卡罗程序计算出液体闪烁体探测器对各种单能γ射线的光响应矩阵, 阐述了利用γ射线响应函数矩阵和γ射线的反冲电子谱求解待测γ能谱的原理, 对解谱的误差来源也进行了简要的分析。 The light output of the BC501A liquid scintillation detector for γ rays was calibrated by serial monoenergetic γ ray sources. The Monte Carlo simulation method to confirm Compton edge was described briefly. The result was compared with that obtained by the semi height method. The γ ray response matrix of BC501A liquid scintillation detector was calculated by the Monte Carlo code PHRESP from PTB. The method of using response function matrix and recoil electron spectrum to unfold γ ray energy spectrum was introduced and the error of unfolding spectrum was also briefly discussed.     

A compact positron annihilation lifetime spectrometer

Using LYSO scintillator coupled on HAMAMATSU R9800(a fast photomultiplier)to form the small size γ-ray detectors,a compact lifetime spectrometer has been built for the positron annihilation experiments.The system time resolution FWHM=193 ps and the coincidence counting rate -8 cps/μCi were achieved.A lifetime value of 219±1 ps of positron annihilation in well annealed Si was tested,which is in agreement with the typical values published in the previous lectures.     

Search for a dark matter annihilation signal from the galactic center halo with H.E.S.S

A search for a very-high-energy (VHE; ≥100 GeV) γ-ray signal from self-annihilating particle dark matter (DM) is performed towards a region of projected distance r～45-150 pc from the Galactic center. The background-subtracted γ-ray spectrum measured with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) γ-ray instrument in the energy range between 300 GeV and 30 TeV shows no hint of a residual γ-ray flux. Assuming conventional Navarro-Frenk-White and Einasto density profiles, limits are derived on the velocity-weighted annihilation cross section (σv) as a function of the DM particle mass. These are among the best reported so far for this energy range and in particular differ only little between the chosen density profile parametrizations. In particular, for the DM particle mass of ～1 TeV, values for (σv) above 3×10(-25) cm(3)?s(-1) are excluded for the Einasto density profile.     

A formula used to subtract the effect of gamma-ray of the others to that of measured reaction in measurement of cross section of nuclear reaction and its application

Abstract According to the regulation of growing and decay of artificial radioactive nuclide, a formula used to subtract the effect of characteristic γ-ray of the others to that of measured reaction was deduced. And then the cross sections of 120Te (n, 2n)119mTe reaction induced by neutrons around 14 MeV were measured by activation relative to the 93Nb (n, 2n)92mNb. In the process of the cross sections measured to be calculated, it was subtracted that the effect of characteristic γ-ray of 126Te (n, p)126Sb to that of measured 120Te (n, 2n)119mTe reaction using the formula deduced. The experimental results were (689±37) and (750±41) mb at the neutron energies of (13.5±0.3) and (14.6±0.3) MeV, respectively. Measurements were carried out by γ-detection using a coaxial HPGe detector. As samples, spectroscopically pure tellurium powder has been used. The fast neutrons were produced by the T(d, n)4He reaction. The neutron energies in these measurements were determined by the method of cross-section ratios between 90Zr (n, 2n) 89m+gZr and 93Nb (n, 2n) 92mNb reactions.     

Patterns of cosmogenic radionuclide production rates in the heliosphere and problems of solar modulation on a long time scale

The results of long-term studies of cosmogenic radionuclide production rates along the orbits of 39 chondrites that fell to the Earth between 1959 and 2013 are presented. They constitute a long series of homogeneous data, a statistical smoothing of which demonstrate some general patterns of the distribution and variations of Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) with energy >100 MeV in the inner (<5 AU) heliosphere. A correlation analysis of the production rates of radionuclides with different half-lives suggests that the solar GCR modulation mechanism is constant over at least ~1 million years. The role of stochastic factors in the polarity reversal of the general solar magnetic field for the phases of maximum solar activity has been revealed. The subtle sensitivity of the ⁵⁴Mn production rate in the Chelyabinsk chondrite to the short-term closure of the heliosphere for positively charged particles over 14 months between June 2012 and July 2013 is used as an example to show the high resolution of the method of using cosmogenic radionuclides in meteorites as natural GCR detectors.     

基于塑料闪烁光纤阵列的γ射线位置灵敏探测器数值模拟

基于蒙特卡罗的模拟方法,设计了一个基于塑料闪烁光纤阵列的γ射线位置灵敏探测器并对其性能进行了系统的研究。分析了该探测器在高能γ粒子辐照下的康普顿散射特性和圆形塑料闪烁光纤的能量泄漏情况,发现随着入射能量的不同,康普顿边缘峰值也相应变化,并且和入射光子能量一一对应。考虑阵列间粒子串扰的情况下,利用此特性得到该位置灵敏探测器在0.8~7.0 MeV的γ入射能量下,能量分辨率和空间分辨率分别能够达到10%和cm量级。但由于闪烁光纤原子序数较低,在较高能区的探测效率也较低,只有15%左右或更低。这就使得利用闪烁光纤阵列探测器不能同时满足较好的空间分辨率和能量分辨率,两者出现一定的矛盾。     

强脉冲γ射线能谱测量仪研制

研制出了一种用于强脉冲γ射线能谱测量的能谱仪,在感应电压叠加器实验平台上,测量了阳极杆箍缩二极管产生的强脉冲γ射线能谱。选择适合强脉冲γ射线测量的Si-PIN探测器阵列和铅过滤片作为测量系统,通过在能谱仪的前部放置不同厚度的铅衰减片,测量了感应电压叠加器的强脉冲γ射线的强度。理论计算了不同能量的光子经过不同厚度的铅衰减片以后在探测器阵列上的能量沉积,得到了探测器的灵敏度曲线。利用探测器上的理论计算的电荷量和实验波形的对应关系,求解了该加速器的能谱。光子的最高能量约为1.44 MeV,平均能量为0.68 MeV,其中能量在0.4~0.8 MeV范围内的光子数最多,占74.3%。     

脉冲γ射线对光纤的辐射效应

介绍了光纤的损耗机制和γ射线对光纤的辐射效应,设计了针对脉冲γ射线作用于光纤而产生辐射感生损耗的实验测量系统。利用平均光子能量为0.3 MeV、脉冲宽度25 ns、剂量率2.03×107Gy.s-1,和平均光子能量为1.0 MeV、脉冲宽度25 ns、剂量率5.32×109Gy.s-1的2种脉冲γ射线分别作用于多模和单模光纤,分别采用波长为405,660,850,1 310和1 550 nm的激光光纤传输系统对辐射感生损耗进行了测量。获得了光纤辐射感生损耗和辐射剂量的关系,并对实验结果进行分析。从实验结果可以看出:在近红外到可见光范围内,脉冲γ射线对光纤作用产生的辐射感生损耗随探测波长减小而增大;在0.1~3.5 Gy剂量范围内,多模光纤辐射感生损耗和辐射剂量呈线性关系。分析辐射对光纤的作用机制和实验结果后得出:光纤基质原子的电子能级对传输光子的共振吸收而造成吸收损耗增加;光纤折射率分布的改变从而导致波导损耗增加。     

Level scheme of 194Ir

Levels of ¹⁹⁴Ir were studied using neutron capture and (d, p) reaction spectroscopy. A pair spectrometer was used to measure the high-energy γ-ray spectrum from thermal-neutron capture in an enriched ¹⁹³Ir target over the energy range 4640–6100 keV. From the same reaction, low-energy γ-radiation was studied using curved-crystal spectrometers, and conversion electrons were observed with magnetic spectrometers. Prompt and delayed γγ-coincidences were measured using semiconductor and scintillation detectors. Averaged resonance capture measurements were performed with 2 keV and 24 keV neutrons for primary transitions leading to excitation energies from 0 to 580 keV. Using 22 MeV deuterons, the ¹⁹³Ir(d, p) high resolution spectra were observed with a magnetic spectrograph. The deduced nuclear level scheme of ¹⁹⁴Ir includes 38 levels connected by 184 transitions. Unambiguous spins and parities were determined for 25 levels. The rotor-plus-particle model was used for the interpretation of the level scheme assuming a strong mixing for Nilsson configurations having identical parities and K quantum numbers. IBFFM model calculations were performed and the obtained results were compared with the experimental level scheme.     

Fermi bubbles: giant, multibillion-year-old reservoirs of Galactic center cosmic rays

Recently evidence has emerged for enormous features in the γ-ray sky observed by the Fermi-LAT instrument: bilateral "bubbles" of emission centered on the core of the Galaxy and extending to around ± 10 kpc from the Galactic plane. These structures are coincident with a nonthermal microwave "haze" and an extended region of x-ray emission. The bubbles' γ-ray emission is characterized by a hard and relatively uniform spectrum, relatively uniform intensity, and an overall luminosity 4×10(37) erg/s, around 1 order of magnitude larger than their microwave luminosity while more than order of magnitude less than their x-ray luminosity. Here we show that the bubbles are naturally explained as due to a population of relic cosmic ray protons and heavier ions injected by processes associated with extremely long time scale (? 8 Gyr) and high areal density star formation in the Galactic center.     

A New Heavy Neutron-rich Isotope 238Th

A new nuclide ²³⁸Th has been produced via multinucleon transfer reaction induced by 60MeV/u ¹⁸O ion irradiation of natural uranium. The thorium was radiochemically separated from the mixture of uranium and its reaction products. The activity of thorium was measured by using a HPGe detector and a planar HPGe detector. The ²³⁸Th has been identified for the first time by measuring the growth and decay of the γ-rays from its daughter ²³⁸Pa. The half-life of 238Th was determined to be (9.4±2.0)min. In addition,a new (89.0±0.3)keV γ-ray with T_1/2=(8.9±1.5)min was observed and assigned to ²³⁸Th decay based on the measurement of transition energy and half life.     

Compton Back-Scattering γ-Ray Source Based on Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Ⅰ) Numerical Calculation of the Produced MeV γ-Ray

We propose a build to low-energy γ-ray beam line (SLEGS-Ⅰ) at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF). By Compton back scattering (BCS) of infrared or far-infrared laser lights from 3.5 GeV electrons circulating in the storage ring of SSRF, high intense quasi-monochromatic BCS γ-rays with high linear or circular polarization ranging 1-25MeV will be produced. It can be widely applied to fundamental researching fields of nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics and related applications. In this paper, we briefly present the outline of BCS theory and the properties of BCS γ-ray with numerical compution based on the major parameters of SSRF storage ring.     

Precise determination of neutron binding energy of <Superscript>64</Superscript>Cu

The neutron binding energy in ⁶⁴Cu has been accurately measured in thermal neutron capture. A composite target of natural Cu and NaCl was used on a high flux neutron beam using a large measuring time. The γ-ray spectrum emitted in the (n, γ) reaction was measured with a HPGe detector in large statistics (up to 10⁶ events per channel). Intrinsic limitations of HPGe detectors, which restrict the accuracy of energy calibration, were determined. The value B _n of ⁶⁴Cu was determined as 7915.867(24) keV.     

Full-Energy peak efficiency of an NaI(Tl) detector with coincidence summing correction showing the effect of the source-to-detector distance

The coincidence summing effect is considered to be one of the most important problems in γ-ray spectrometry. It has played an important role in the detector calibration process, especially at low source-to-detector distances, which are the typical conditions when the environmental samples have to be measured. In this work, the γ–γ coincidence summing correction factors (CSCF) for a 3″×?3″ NaI(Tl) γ-ray detector have been calculated at different distances from the detector end cap. These factors with NaI(Tl) γ-ray detectors have rarely been discussed in the previous literature, due to the lack of the separation process of the close gamma energy lines in the scintillation detector spectrum. The γ–γ CSCF were calculated for ⁶⁰Co, ¹³³Ba and ¹⁵²Eu radioactive point sources, which show the simple and the complex decay scheme of several radionuclides. In order to obtain the CSCF, the following parameters must be estimated by the numerical simulation method (NSM): the total efficiency (ε_T), the full-energy peak efficiency (ε_P) and the effective solid angle (Ω_eff). These parameters were calculated numerically depending on the direct mathematical method and efficiency transfer method. The obtained CSCF was used to correct the measured efficiency curves, which were measured at different distances, then compared to the ETNA and EFFTRAN programs, as well as the CSCF. The results show a good agreement, especially at large source-to-detector distances.     

Nuclear orientation study of the decay of 171Lu

The levels and γ-ray transitions in ¹⁷¹Yb have been studied by radioactive decay of oriented ¹⁷¹ Lu. The orientation was produced using the hyperfine field in ferromagnetic gadolinium to polarize an ensemble of ¹⁷¹Lu nuclei at a temperature of 14mK. The directional distribution of the γ-rays was measured using high-resolution Ge(Li) detectors. Anisotropies of 30 γ-rays in ¹⁷¹Yb were measured. Multipole mixing ratios were deduced for most of the mixed γ-ray transitions and unambiguous spin assignments were made for several levels.The energy and structure of the rotational band levels, reduced E2 and M1 transition probabilities and E2/M1 mixing ratios were calculated using the semi-microscopic quasiparticle-phonon model with a Coriolis interaction. In general, good agreement is obtained between the theoretical predictions and experimental results.     

The Giant Dipole Resonance in the superdeformed143Eu nucleus

The γ-decay of the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) built on excited nuclear states has been measured for the nucleus¹⁴³Eu. The reaction¹¹⁰Pd(³⁷Cl, 4n)¹⁴³Eu at a beam energy of 165 MeV has been employed. This experiment aimed at searching the γ-decay of the GDR built on the superdeformed¹⁴³Eu states, populated at high spins. High-energy γ-rays were detected in 8 large BaF₂ scintillators in coincidence with discrete transitions measured with the NORDBALL array (in the configuration consisting of 17 HPGe detectors and a 2π multiplicity filter). The spectrum of high-energy γ-rays gated by low-energy transitions between states fed by the superdeformed states shows some excess of yield in the 7–10 MeV region with respect to that gated by transitions between states not populated by the superdeformed states. This excess should be due to the γ-decay of the the giant dipole oscillation along the superdeformed axis of the nucleus that is expected to have a frequency corresponding to ≈9–10 MeV (low-energy component of the GDR strength function). The measured excess, in spite of the large error bars, is found to be of the same order as predicted statistical model values.     

Strong flux of low-energy neutrons produced by thunderstorms

We report here for the first time about the registration of an extraordinary high flux of low-energy neutrons generated during thunderstorms. The measured neutron count rate enhancements are directly connected with thunderstorm discharges. The low-energy neutron flux value obtained in our work is a challenge for the photonuclear channel of neutron generation in thunderstorm: the estimated value of the needed high-energy γ-ray flux is about 3 orders of magnitude higher than that one observed.