K-forbidden allowed $ \beta$ transitions in heavy nuclei

The role of the band quantum number K in influencing the character of allowed transitions in heavy deformed nuclei is examined. The conditions for the occurrence of K -forbidden decays in this region are explored. Specific cases of “allowed” decays proceeding via K = 2 to K = 6 channels are presented to illustrate the phenomenon. The listed K = 2 transitions, which by themselves contribute over 10% of all the presently known allowed transitions for A 228 nuclei, are seen to have an average , which is clearly outside the normal range for allowed transitions. It is concluded that, wherever the -connected states can be confidently labelled using the quantum numbers, the K -forbiddenness is in general as significant as that involving the other two (spin and parity) quantum numbers.     

Comparison between different computational schemes for variational calculations in nuclear structure

We compare several iteration methods for angular-momentum- and parity-projected Hartree-Fock calculations. We used the Anderson update, the modified Broyden method, newly introduced in nuclear-structure calculations, and variants of the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldhaber-Shanno methods (BFGS). We performed ground-state calculations for ¹⁸C and ⁶Li using the two-body Hamiltonian obtained from the CDBonn-2000 potential via the Lee-Suzuki renormalization method. We found that BFGS methods are superior to both the Anderson update and to the modified Broyden method. In the case of ⁶Li we found that the Anderson update and modified Broyden method do not converge to the angular-momentum- and parity-projected Hartree-Fock minimum. The reason is traced back to the lack of a mechanism that guarantees a decrease of the energy from one iteration to the next and to the fact that these methods guarantee a stationary solution rather than a minimum of the energy.     

High-spin excitations of 81, 82, 83, 85Se : Competing single-particle and collective structures around N = 50

The ^{81, 82, 83, 85}Se nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in the fusion reaction ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb at 85MeV bombarding energy and studied with the Euroball IV array. Their high-spin level schemes have been built from the triple -ray coincidence data and - angular correlations have been analyzed in order to assign spin and parity values to many observed states. The lowest-spin states of the two-neutron and three-neutron configurations are strongly mixed with two-proton excitations among the fp orbits. On the other hand, the highest-spin states of these neutron configurations are found to remain almost pure. Neutron excitation across the N = 50 gap is observed both in ⁸³Se₄₉ and in ⁸⁵Se₅₁ .     

Thermal neutron capture cross-section of <Superscript>76</Superscript>Ge

The thermal neutron capture cross-sections of the ⁷⁶Ge(n,)⁷⁷Ge and the ⁷⁶Ge(n,)^77m Ge reactions have been measured by activating targets of isotopically enriched GeO₂ through cold neutrons. The -decay spectra after the -decay of ⁷⁷Ge and ^77m Ge were measured with HPGe detectors. From these spectra the cross-sections for the ⁷⁶Ge(n,) reactions were derived relative to the cross-section of ¹⁹⁷Au using the absolute emission probabilities of the observed -ray energies. The methods used in this work result in smaller systematic uncertainties than those obtained in previous experiments.     

Scaling laws and higher-order effects in Coulomb excitation of neutron halo nuclei

Essential properties of halo nuclei can be described in terms of a few low-energy constants. For neutron halo nuclei, analytical results can be found for wave functions and electromagnetic transition matrix elements in simple but well-adapted models. These wave functions can be used to study nuclear reactions; an especially simple and instructive example is Coulomb excitation. A systematic expansion in terms of small parameters can be given. We present scaling laws for excitation amplitudes and cross-sections. The results can be used to analyze experiments like ¹¹Be Coulomb excitation. They also serve as benchmark tests for more involved reaction theories.     

Spherical-separability of Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians and Pseudo- PT\mathcal{PT} -symmetry

Non-Hermitian but -symmetrized spherically-separable Dirac and Schr?dinger Hamiltonians are considered. It is observed that the descendant Hamiltonians H _r , H _θ , and H _φ play essential roles and offer some “user-feriendly” options as to which one (or ones) of them is (or are) non-Hermitian. Considering a -symmetrized H _φ , we have shown that the conventional Dirac (relativistic) and Schr?dinger (non-relativistic) energy eigenvalues are recoverable. We have also witnessed an unavoidable change in the azimuthal part of the general wavefunction. Moreover, setting a possible interaction V(θ)≠0 in the descendant Hamiltonian H _θ would manifest a change in the angular θ-dependent part of the general solution too. Whilst some -symmetrized H _φ Hamiltonians are considered, a recipe to keep the regular magnetic quantum number m, as defined in the regular traditional Hermitian settings, is suggested. Hamiltonians possess properties similar to the -symmetric ones (here the non-Hermitian -symmetric Hamiltonians) are nicknamed as pseudo- -symmetric.     

Benford’s law and half-lives of unstable nuclei

We find that the experimental data of the -decay half-lives for 627 nuclei are in good agreement with Benford’s law, which states that the frequency of the appearance of each figure, 1-9, as the first significant digit, follows a logarithmic distribution favoring the smallest value. In order to generalize the applicability of Benford’s law, we systematically investigate the data of the total half-lives for 3177 nuclides in their ground and isomeric states, where the half-lives of many nuclei are determined by -decay and spontaneous fission. We find that they are also in excellent agreement with Benford’s law, although they are determined by different interactions such as strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions. The possible physics behind them is discussed. Moreover, Benford’s law can be used to test theoretical models or methods.     

A 3-quasiparticle isomer in neutron-rich <Superscript>183</Superscript>Ta

Excited states in neutron-rich ¹⁸³Ta have been studied using a two-neutron transfer reaction of ¹⁸¹Ta(¹⁸O,¹⁶O) . In-beam -rays were measured in coincidence with scattered ions detected by a high-resolution E -E Si telescope for reaction channel selection. Previously known 1-quasiparticle bands are extended to higher spins, and several levels including a T _1/2 = 0.9(3) μs 3-quasiparticle isomer are identified.     

UA(1) anomaly and $ \eta^{{\prime}}_{}$ -mass from an infrared singular quark-gluon vertex

The U _A(1) problem of QCD is inevitably tied to the infrared behaviour of quarks and gluons with its most visible effect being the -mass. A dimensional argument of Kogut and Susskind showed that the mixing of the pseudoscalar flavour-singlet mesons with gluons can provide a screening of the Goldstone pole in this channel if the full quark-quark interaction is strongly infrared singular as ∼ 1/k ⁴ . We investigate this idea using previously obtained results for the Landau gauge ghost and gluon propagator, together with recent determinations for the singular behaviour of the quark-gluon vertex. We find that, even with an infrared vanishing gluon propagator, the singular structure of the quark-gluon vertex for certain kinematics is apposite for yielding a non-zero screening mass.     

$${f(\mathcal R)}$$ quantum cosmology

We have quantized a flat cosmological model in the context of the metric models, using the causal Bohmian quantum theory. The equations are solved and then we have obtained how the quantum corrections influence the classical equations.     

Nuclear structure of 189Tl states studied via \beta^{{+}}_{} /EC decay and laser spectroscopy of 189m+gPb

The /EC decay of ^{189m, g}Pb has been studied at the ISOLDE facility using nuclear spectroscopy and in-source laser spectroscopy. A level scheme of ¹⁸⁹Tl has been built from - coincidence relationships and information on the feeding of some excited levels of ¹⁸⁹Tl provided by the hyperfine spectra obtained from laser ionization. The half-lives of both the 13/2⁺ and 3/2^{- 189}Pb isomers have been estimated to be T _1/2 = 50±3 s and T _1/2 = 39±8 s, respectively. Calculations have been performed for different oblate and prolate nuclear deformations using an axial-rotor coupled to one-quasiparticle model, a structure has been suggested for the low-lying levels of the ¹⁸⁹Tl nucleus.     

Alpha-gamma decay studies of 255No

The decay of ²⁵⁵No was investigated by means of α-γ spectroscopy. The isotope was produced in the reactions ²⁰⁸Pb(⁴⁸Ca, n)²⁵⁵No, , and $²³⁸U(²²Ne, 5n)²⁵⁵No$. Levels of the daughter nucleus ²⁵¹Fm were assigned by α-γ coincidence measurements and on the basis of systematics. Level energies were determined precisely using measured γ-rays. The results are compared with the known level schemes of the lighter isotones ²⁴⁷Cm and ²⁴⁹Cf as well as with data for ²⁵³No.     

Prolate structures in 189Po and 185Pb

The 3/2^- isomer in ¹⁸⁵Pb and states above it have been populated in the -decay of ¹⁸⁹Po. The observed -decay strengths to and the electromagnetic decay properties of the excited states in ¹⁸⁵Pb have been combined with Potential Energy Surface and Particle-Plus-Rotor calculations to propose configuration assignments. It is suggested that the -decaying isomer of ¹⁸⁹Po is of prolate origin and that the prolate configuration becomes very low in energy in ¹⁸⁵Pb.     

High-spin isomer in 93Mo

The high-spin states of ⁹³Mo have been studied by a ⁸²Se( ¹⁶O, 5n) ⁹³Mo reaction at a beam energy of 100 MeV using techniques of in-beam -ray spectroscopy. Measurements of -t, --t coincidences, -ray angular distributions and -ray linear polarizations were performed. The high-spin isomer was found as a (39/2^-) state at about 9.7 MeV. The near-yrast states in ⁹³Mo were interpreted using the weak-coupling picture of a d_5/2 neutron to a neutron magic core nucleus ⁹²Mo.     

Improved synthesis of polyfluorinated l-lysine for 19F NMR-based screening

Polyfluorinated N-α-Fmoc--Boc-l-lysine represents the best-in-class among a set of polyfluorinated amino acids (PFAs) which are useful tools for ¹⁹F NMR-Based Screening. In this communication, optimized reaction conditions that allowed for the multi-gram preparation of this unnatural amino acid are reported.     

Analytical potential energy function for the ground state $$ (\tilde X^1 A_1 ) $$ of hydrogen isotopic D2O molecule

The present work is to construct the potential energy function of isotopic molecules. The so-called molecular potential energy function is the electronic energy function under Born-Oppenheimer approximation, in which the nuclear motions (translational, rotational and vibration motions) are not included, therefore, its nuclear vibration motion and isotopic effect need to be considered. Based on group theory and atomic and molecular reactive statics (AMRS), the reasonable dissociation limits of D₂O are determined, its equilibrium geometry and dissociation energy are calculated by density-functional theory (DFT) B3lyp, and then, using the many-body expansion method the potential energy function of D₂O is obtained for the first time. The potential contours are drawn, in which it is found that the reactive channel D + OD→D₂O has no threshold energy, so it is a free radical reaction. But the reactive channel O + DD→D₂O has a saddle point. The study of collision for D₂O is under way. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. NSAF10676022)     

The βdecay of 147Cs to 147Ba

The ^--decay of ¹⁴⁷Cs to ¹⁴⁷Ba has been studied by means of - and X-ray spectroscopy. A new level scheme of ¹⁴⁷Ba is significantly modified and extended in comparison to the one previously reported. The Advanced Time-Delayed (t) method has been applied to measure half-lives of the 46.2 and 85.4 keV levels in ¹⁴⁷Ba yielding T_1/2 of 510(80) ps and 370(100) ps, respectively. The lifetime results combined with the deduced internal conversion coefficients allowed to assign M1 multipolarity to three transitions. The B(M1) values obtained for the 39.2, 46.2 and 85.4 keV transitions range from 0.017 to 0.043 W.u. and represent typical B(M1) strength in the Ba-Er region. Model calculations using a shell correction approach with the axially deformed Woods-Saxon potential predict for ¹⁴⁷Ba an octupole deformed ground state with ₃ = 0.11.     

Updated Analysis of Gallium Chelate and Vanadium Chelate Solutions with 4‐(2‐Pyridylazo)Resorcinol and Xylenol Orange

The characteristic factors of the gallium and vanadium chelates with the ligands 4(2pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) and xylenol orange (XO) have been determined with the aid of the principle of correction, which makes it possible to eliminate the influence of the surplus ligand in the solution of its chelate with methane (which makes calculation easier) and thereby provides a more acceptable method in comparison with others. The real molar coefficients of extinction of the chelates Ga and V with PAR and XO have been determined and a detailed calculation of the stoichiometric ratios of chelates has been made. The results have shown that the chelates formed have the following structure: Ga(PAR), Ga(XO), V(PAR)₂, and V(XO).     

Ultra-sensitive in-beam \gamma -ray spectroscopy for nuclear astrophysics at LUNA

Ultra-sensitive in-beam -ray spectroscopy studies for nuclear astrophysics are performed at the LUNA (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) 400 kV accelerator, deep underground in Italy’s Gran Sasso laboratory. By virtue of a specially constructed passive shield, the laboratory -ray background for < 3 MeV at LUNA has been reduced to levels comparable to those experienced in dedicated offline underground -counting setups. The -ray background induced by an incident -beam has been studied. The data are used to evaluate the feasibility of sensitive in-beam experiments at LUNA and, by extension, at similar proposed facilities.