Microscopic structure of fundamental excitations in N = Z nuclei

An extended mean-field model is presented that describes states of different isospin in odd-odd and even-even nuclei. Excitation energies of the T = 1 states in even-even as well as T = 0 and T = 1 states in odd-odd N = Z nuclei are calculated. It is shown that the structure of these states can be determined in a consistent manner when both isoscalar and isovector pairing collectivity as well as isospin projection (treated here within the isocranking approximation) are taken into account. In particular, in odd-odd N = Z nuclei, the interplay between quasiparticle excitations (relevant for the case of T = 0 states) and isorotations (relevant for the case of T = 1 states) explains the near degeneracy of these states.     

High spin states of some nuclei around the N=Z=28 double closed shell

A spectroscopic study is performed for high spin states of⁵⁵Fe,⁵⁵Co and⁵⁷Ni. To populate the investigated residues with a relevant cross section, the fusion evaporation reactions of³⁰Si(²⁸Si, 2pn)⁵⁵Fe,³⁰Si(²⁸Si, 2np)⁵⁵Co and⁴He(⁵⁴Fe,n)⁵⁷Ni were chosen. To identify the newγ transitions and to build the energy level schemes,γ — γ coincidence techniques together with excitation functions were employed. Angular distributions andγ — γ angular correlations allowed us to assign the spin values of the nuclear states. The previous level scheme of⁵⁵Fe is extended into the region between 6.5–11 MeV of excitation energy, up to spin 27/2, while the yrast decay paths of⁵⁷Ni and⁵⁵Co are reported here for the first time. Experimental data are fairly well reproduced by Glaudemans' shell model calculations.     

A new N = Z isotope: Krypton 72

Beta-delayed γ-rays have been observed from the decay of ${}^{72}\text{Kr}\text{(τ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 16.7 ± 0.6}\text{s}\text{)}$. A decay scheme is proposed based on γ-γ and β⁺-γ coincidence measurements. The total decay energy was measured to be Q_EC = 5057 ± 135 keV. The value is compared with mass predictions.     

Beta-decay of the N = Z nucleus 72Kr

The beta-decay of the N = Z, even-even nucleus ⁷²Kr has been studied at the ISOLDE PSB facility at CERN. Measurements of βγ and βγγ coincidences have enriched the decay scheme of the daughter nucleus ⁷²Br with 27 new low spin levels. A more precise half-life of T _1/2 = 17.1(2) s has been determined. Strong feeding to the ⁷²Br ground state is established yielding an unambiguous J ^π = 1⁺ assignment for this state. Candidates for the ⁷²Br g.s. wave function are discussed in the framework of a self-consistent deformed mean-field calculation with SG2 Skyrme force and pairing correlations. A search for beta-delayed particle emission was made and an upper limit of 10^-6 for this decay branch obtained. The cumulated experimental level density of 1⁺ states has been fitted with the constant temperature formula. The comparison indicates that most likely all 1⁺ levels up to 1.2 MeV have been observed in this investigation. The corresponding nearest-neighbour level spacing does not follow a Poisson distribution. The Gamow-Teller strength distribution is compared, in terms of nuclear deformation, with different calculations made in the framework of the quasiparticle random phase approximation. Received: 7 February 2002 / Accepted: 31 October 2002 / Published online: 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: borge@pinar2.csic.es RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Centre d' Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux-Gradignan, Le Haut Vigneau, F-33175 Gradignan Cedex, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: University Mentouri, 25000 Constantine, Algeria. Communicated by J. ?yst?     

Deuteron transfer in N=Z nuclei

Predictions are obtained for T=0 and T=1 deuteron-transfer intensities between self-conjugate N=Z nuclei on the basis of a simplified interacting boson model which considers bosons without orbital angular momentum but with full spin-isospin structure. These transfer predictions can be correlated with nuclear binding energies in specific regions of the mass table.     

Some progress in research on octupole deformation around Z=56, N=88 nuclei

Recent progress in research on octupole deformation around Z=56, N=88 neutron-rich nuclei by our cooperative groups of Tsinghua University, Vanderbilt University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been introduced. The experiment was carried out by measuring the prompt γ-rays in spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf with the Gammasphere detector array. The new results of     

Symmetry properties of radioactive N=Z nuclei

Recent mass measurements of proton-rich nuclei close to the N=Z line were used for the calculation of the interaction strength δV _pn between valence protons and neutrons. When compared with δV _pn values calculated from mass values of the AME’95 mass tables, the breaking down of the SU(4) symmetry is verified at Z=32,33,34.     

Properties and structure of N=Z nuclei within relativistic mean field theory

The axially deformed relativistic mean field theory with the force NLSH has been performed in the blocked BCS approximation to investigate the properties and structure of N=Z nuclei from Z=20 to Z=48.Some ground state quantities such as binding energies, quadrupole deformations, one/two-nucleon separation energies, root-mean-square (rms) radii of charge and neutron, and shell gaps have been calculated.The results suggest that large deformations can be found in medium-heavy nuclei with N=Z=38-42.The charge and neutron rms radii increase rapidly beyond the magic number N=Z=28 until Z=42 with increasing nucleon number, which is similar to isotope shift, yet beyond Z=42, they decrease dramatically as the structure changes greatly from Z=42 to Z=43.The evolution of shell gaps with proton number Z can be clearly observed.Besides the appearance of possible new shell closures, some conventional shell closures have been found to disappear in some region.In addition, we found that the Coulomb interaction is not strong enough to breakdown the shell structure of protons in the current region.     

Properties and structure of N=Z nuclei within relativistic mean field theory

The axially deformed relativistic mean field theory with the force NLSH has been performed in the blocked BCS approximation to investigate the properties and structure of N=Z nuclei from Z=20 to Z=48. Some ground state quantities such as binding energies, quadrupole deformations, one/two-nucleon separation energies, root-mean-square （rms） radii of charge and neutron, and shell gaps have been calculated. The results suggest that large deformations can be found in medium-heavy nuclei with N=Z=38-42. The charge and neutron rms radii increase rapidly beyond the magic number N=Z=28 until Z=42 with increasing nucleon number, which is similar to isotope shift, yet beyond Z=42, they decrease dramatically as the structure changes greatly from Z=42 to Z=43. The evolution of shell gaps with proton number Z can be clearly observed. Besides the appearance of possible new shell closures, some conventional shell closures have been found to disappear in some region. In addition, we found that the Coulomb interaction is not strong enough to breakdown the shell structure of protons in the current region.     

Nuclear structure in the vicinity of the N = Z line in the A = 90-100 region

Neutron-deficient nuclei in the mass region A≈ 90-100 exhibit a large variety of phenomena. In this region the heaviest N = Z nuclei are identified and enhanced neutron-proton correlations are expected when protons and neutrons occupy identical orbitals. A variety of nuclear shapes are predicted and observed for A? 91, including superdeformed shapes. The nucleus ¹⁰⁰Sn is the heaviest N = Z doubly magic nucleus believed to be bound. Knowledge of the shell structure around ¹⁰⁰Sn is of utmost importance for understanding the nuclear shell model. New results on both the N = Z nucleus ⁸⁸Ru, superdeformed structures in A≈ 90 nuclei as well as the first result on the level structure in ¹⁰³Sn, and an extended level structure in ¹⁰²In are presented. The limitations of using stable beams and targets and the possibilities with new radioactive beams are briefly outlined. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

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.     

Toward isovector M1 transitions in odd-odd N = Z nuclei

IsovectorM1 transitions between low-lying T=1 and T=0 states in odd-odd N = Z nuclei are discussed. The data on low-spin states in the odd-odd nuclei ⁴⁶V and ⁵⁰Mn investigated with the ⁴⁶Ti(p, nγ)⁴⁶V and ⁵⁰Cr(p, nγ)⁵⁰Mn fusion evaporation reactions at the FN-TANDEM accelerator in Cologne are reported. A simple explanation of the enhancement of the M1 transitions is given in terms of quasideuteron configurations. The fragmentation of the strong M1 transitions is shown to be due to the coupling of the two-particle configurations to the rotating core.     

Mass Measurements of Exotic Nuclei around N=Z=40 with CSS2

Mass measurements of the N=Z nuclei ⁸⁰Zr, ⁷⁶Sr, ⁶⁸Se were performed for the first time and a new measurement was obtained for ⁸⁰Y, using the second cyclotron CSS2 of GANIL as a high-resolution spectrometer. Ions around N=Z were produced by fusion-evaporation in the inverse ⁵⁸Ni (4.32MeVA) + ²⁴Mg and ¹²C reactions. New masses were measured by a time-of-flight method, with a precision of 2⋅10⁻⁶, by using well-known masses as references. Study of the double binding energy difference δV _np is then performed leading to a strong N=Z Wigner effect around N=Z=40. Knowledge of new masses in this region also plays a crucial role in the modelling of the astrophysical rp process. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-spin states in the A= 39 mirror nuclei 39Ca and 39K

High-spin states of the mass A= 39 mirror pair ³⁹K and ³⁹Ca were investigated via the fusion-evaporation reaction ²⁸Si +¹⁶O at 125 MeV beam energy. The Gammasphere array in conjunction with the 4π charged-particle detector array Microball and neutron detectors was used to detect γ rays in coincidence with evaporated light particles. The results of the first high-spin study of the T _z=−1/2 nucleus ³⁹Ca are discussed in terms of mirror symmetry and compared to spherical shell-model calculations in the 1d _3/2–; 1f _7/2 configuration space. Received: 18 August 1999     

Research on neutron-rich nuclei in the region of the nuclear shells N=20 and N=28

The results of the joint experiments carried out by the Dubna-GANIL (France) and the Dubna-RIKEN (Japan) collaborations aimed at synthesizing new isotopes close to the neutron shells N=20 and N=28 and at studying their properties are presented. Gamma-spectroscopic methods were used to study low-lying states in ^30,32Mg, ^26–28Ne, ²²O, and ¹⁸C. The ratios E(4⁺)/E(2⁺) were determined. A direct method was used to measure the masses of 20 nuclides located between the shells N=20 and N=28. The decay properties were determined for ³⁰Ne and ^26,27,29F. Information obtained in this way suggests the existence of a deformation close to the neutron shell N=20. The results of experiments devoted to searches for the doubly magic nucleus ²⁸O are also presented. Only the upper limit on the cross section for its production was deduced, which can be taken as evidence of its instability.     

Alignment delays in the N = Z nuclei (72)Kr, (76)Sr, and (80)Zr

The ground state rotational bands of the N = Z nuclei (72)Kr, (76)Sr, and (80)Zr have been extended into the angular momentum region where rotation alignment of particles is normally expected. By measuring the moments of inertia of these bands we have observed a consistent increase in the rotational frequency required to start pair breaking, when compared to neighboring nuclei. (72)Kr shows the most marked effect. It has been widely suggested that these "delayed alignments" arise from np-pairing correlations. However, alignment frequencies are very sensitive to shape degrees of freedom and normal pairing, so the new experimental observations are still open to interpretation.