Effect of nuclear-reaction mechanisms on the population of excited nuclear states and isomeric ratios

Experimental data on the cross sections for channels of fusion and transfer reactions induced by beams of radioactive halo nuclei and clustered and stable loosely bound nuclei were analyzed, and the results of this analysis were summarized. The interplay of the excitation of single-particle states in reaction-product nuclei and direct reaction channels was established for transfer reactions. Respective experiments were performed in stable (⁶Li) and radioactive (⁶Не) beams of the DRIBs accelerator complex at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, and in deuteron and ³Не beams of the U-120M cyclotron at the Nuclear Physics Institute, Academy Sciences of Czech Republic (?e? and Prague, Czech Republic). Data on subbarrier and near-barrier fusion reactions involving clustered and loosely bound light nuclei (⁶Li and ³He) can be described quite reliably within simple evaporation models with allowance for different reaction Q-values and couple channels. In reactions involving halo nuclei, their structure manifests itself most strongly in the region of energies below the Coulomb barrier. Neutron transfer occurs with a high probability in the interactions of all loosely bound nuclei with light and heavy stable nuclei at positive Q-values. The cross sections for such reactions and the respective isomeric ratios differ drastically for nucleon stripping and nucleon pickup mechanisms. This is due to the difference in the population probabilities for excited single-particle states.     

Radioactive nuclear beams: Present and future

Some results of investigations into a new nuclear-physics field associated with the production of radioactive nuclear beams and physical studies with these beams are presented. The most recent results obtained by studying the structure of nuclei and reaction mechanisms with radioactive nuclear beams are surveyed. Data obtained in Dubna at the DRIBs accelerator complex are presented along with allied results from other research centers. In this connection, existing experimental data on light loosely bound exotic nuclei are discussed. The parameters of DRIBs3, which is a new accelerator complex, are presented, and the physics research program that will be implemented with the aid of new setups, including a high-resolution magnetic analyzer (MAVR) and a 4π neutron detector (TETRA), is described. A collaboration in the realms of employing radioactive nuclear beams at the DRIBs complex together with other accelerator complexes [SPIRAL2 (France), RIKEN (Japan), FAIR (Germany), and RIBF (CIIIA)] on the basis of employing new highly efficient experimental facilities has already led to the discovery of new phenomena in nuclear physics and will make it possible to study in the future new regions of nuclear matter in extreme states.     

Low-energy nuclear reactions with double-solenoid-based radioactive nuclear beam

The University of Notre Dame, USA (Becchetti et al, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Res. A505, 377 (2003) and later the University of São Paulo, Brazil (Lichtenthaler et al, Eur. Phys. J. A25, S-01, 733 (2005)) adopted a system based on superconducting solenoids to produce low-energy radioactive nuclear beams. In these systems the solenoids act as thick lenses to collect, select, and focus the secondary beam into a scattering chamber. Many experiments with radioactive light particle beams (RNB) such as ⁶He, ⁷Be, ⁸Li, ⁸B have been performed at these two facilities. These low-energy RNB have been used to investigate low-energy reactions such as elastic scattering, transfer and breakup, providing useful information on the structure of light nuclei near the drip line and on astrophysics. Total reaction cross-sections, derived from elastic scattering analysis, have also been investigated for light system as a function of energy and the role of breakup of weakly bound or exotic nuclei is discussed.     

Nuclear physics using unstable nuclear beams

As an application of the projectile fragmentation in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, use of the unstable nuclei as secondary nuclear beams is discussed. Results of the test experiment of secondary beam line at the Bevalac (LBL, Berkeley) is described. Clean beams of He and Li isotopes were produced with reasonable intensity. A plan of a proposed experiment, which uses the unstable nuclear beam to determine radii of unstable nuclear isotopes through a measurement of interaction cross sections, is shown.     

Beryllium (boron) clustering quest in relativistic multifragmentation (BECQUEREL Project)

A physical program of irradiation of emulsions in beams of relativistic nuclei named the BECQUEREL Project is reviewed. It is destined to study in detail the processes of relativistic fragmentation of light radioactive and stable nuclei. The expected results would make it possible to answer some topical questions concerning the cluster structure of light nuclei. Owing to the best spatial resolution, the nuclear emulsions would enable one to obtain unique and evident results. The most important irradiations will be performed in the secondary beams of He, Be, B, C, and N radioactive nuclei formed on the basis of JINR Nuclotron beams of stable nuclei. We present results on the charged state topology of relativistic fragmentation of the ¹⁰B nucleus at low energy-momentum transfers as the first step of the research.     

Synthesis and decay properties of superheavy atoms in nuclear reactions induced by stable and radioactive ion beams

This talk consists of two parts. The first one presents the results of investigations performed in 1998-2000 in Dubna on the synthesis of superheavy nuclei in reactions induced by ⁴⁸Ca ions. The radioactive decay properties of the nuclei, indicating a considerable increase in the α-decay and spontaneous fission half-lives of the isotopes of elements 110-116 when approaching the closed neutron shell at N = 184, are given. In the second part the possible ways of advancing into the region of more neutron-rich nuclei, using stable and radioactive ion beams, are discussed. Since so far no intense radioactive ion beams are available, some experiments with stable beams are considered as a test for the suggested ideas. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Experimental nuclear astrophysics with radioactive ion beams

Reactions involving unstable nuclei play an important role in many astrophysical sites. Radioactive ion beams provide a unique tool to investigate the structure of such unstable nuclei as well as the cross sections for many reactions of astrophysical relevance. This paper provides a brief survey of some recent results in experimental nuclear astrophysics with Radioactive Ion Beams, particularly for processes which take place during explosive hydrogen burning in novae and X-ray bursts. Some prospects for future studies at next generation facilities are also briefly discussed.     

Study of basic nuclear properties of highly-charged, unstable nuclei at the SIS-FRS-ESR complex

Recent progress in experiments with exotic nuclear beams at the SIS-FRS-ESR facility is summarized. New results on gross properties of exotic nuclei like binding energy, half-lives, and decay modes are presented. A brief outlook to future experiments is given.     

Super neutron-rich nuclei: Results of prospects of investigations

The production of exotic nuclei in the vicinity of the neutron drip line and the investigation of their properties are one of the most important lines of research in contemporary nuclear physics. The present article is devoted to discussing various allied issues. Methods for producing such nuclei at accelerators are described, and unusual properties of new, artificially synthesized, light nuclei are considered. New information concerning the use of beams of radioactive nuclei in various investigations, including studies in astrophysics, is presented.     

RI Beam Factory project at RIKEN

The RI Beam Factory is being proposed at RIKEN, which is a project to construct two superconducting ring cyclotrons (SRC-4 and SRC-6), experimental storage rings (MUSES) and experimental facilities. Heavy ions are to be accelerated to energies of up to 400 AMeV for light nuclei and 150 AMeV for the heaviest nuclei by the SRC-6 and up to 1400 AMeV in the MUSES. Wide varieties of radioactive nuclear beams are to be supplied as secondary beams. Electrons, stable nuclei, and highly charged ions in addition to radioactive nuclei can be stored in the storage rings. The MUSES provides various collision methods, such as colliding, merging, and internal target modes. A few of the selected new nuclear-physics opportunities are discussed briefly.     

Evolution of nuclear spectra with nuclear forces

We first define a series of NN interaction models ranging from very simple to fully realistic. We then present Green's function Monte Carlo calculations of light nuclei to show how nuclear spectra evolve as the nuclear forces are made increasingly sophisticated. We find that the absence of stable five- and eight-body nuclei depends crucially on the spin, isospin, and tensor components of the nuclear force.     

Relation between proton and neutron asymptotic normalization coefficients for light mirror nuclei and its relevance to nuclear astrophysics

We show how the charge symmetry of strong interactions can be used to relate the proton and neutron asymptotic normalization coefficients (ANCs) of the one-nucleon overlap integrals for light mirror nuclei. This relation extends to the case of real proton decay where the mirror analog is a virtual neutron decay of a loosely bound state. In this case, a link is obtained between the proton width and the squared ANC of the mirror neutron state. The relation between mirror overlaps can be used to study astrophysically relevant proton capture reactions based on information obtained from transfer reactions with stable beams.     

Future developments of INFN-LNL nuclear beam facilities

The accelerator group at INFN-LNL has been mostly engaged, recently, in completing and commissioning the higher current injector of the linac booster ALPI (named PIAVE) and in constructing and assembling the front-end part of a high current driver linac for the RNB facility SPES. PIAVE, designed to accelerate ions with A/Q = < 8.5 up to 1.2 MeV/u, is now completed. The injector has been commissioned with O, Ar, Ne and Xe beams. Neon and argon beams have been delivered to experiments for a total of about 400 hours. A consolidation program of PIAVE and ALPI is planned, so as to deliver a larger variety of beams with a current range  pnA and with an energy exceeding the Coulomb barrier in relevant nuclear reaction cases. The RNB facility SPES, allowing a frontier program in RNB physics, is being designed and prototyped: beams of neutron rich medium-to-heavy mass nuclei will be produced inducing ²³⁸U fission with a 40 MeV 200μA proton beam impinging onto a multi-slice direct target. A further development of ALPI will make it best suitable for the re-acceleration of radioactive nuclear species, after charge breeding and isotope selection.     

Quantum flow and nuclear rotation

It is shown that some insight in how light nuclei rotate can be gained by looking at the flow lines of the quantum mechanical probability.     

Nucleon transfer reactions with exotic beams at ATLAS

We present some recent results from studies of light nuclei using exotic beams from ATLAS at Argonne National Laboratory. Light nuclei far from stability provide ideal testing grounds for modern theoretical methods, and may provide information about astrophysical environments. We focus on the nuclei ⁹Li and ⁷He, populated with the (d,p) and (d,³He) reactions.     

Methods for organizing the interaction of circulating particle beams with internal targets in nuclear physics experiments at synchrotrons and storage rings

The first methods for using internal targets and their further development for organization of nuclear physics experiments at synchrotrons and storage rings are reviewed. With these methods, new results are obtained and discoveries are made in physics of interactions of elementary particles and nuclei. Current uses of various internal targets and circulating particle beams in ongoing and projected research in particle physics, relativistic nuclear and spin physics, and physics of interactions of exotic and radioactive nuclei and for producing fluxes of secondary particles (mesons, neutrons, exotic and radioactive nuclei, etc.) for physics experiments are described.     

Lasers in nuclear physics --A review

Lasers have played an important role for the development of new spectroscopy techniques yielding spins, electromagnetic moments and charge radii of many unstable nuclei. More recently, similar techniques have been introduced to manipulate atoms and thus to prepare beams or samples of radioactive atoms for various applications including nuclear spectroscopy and decay studies. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rainer.neugart@uni-mainz.de     

Some problems in nuclear and elementary particle physics involving gravitons

Attention is drawn to dispersion relation techniques which are useful in calculating binding energies of light nuclei, mechanical form factors of particles and nuclei, and mean mass radii.Presented at the International Conference on Gravitation and Relativity, Copenhagen, July 1971.     

Extremes of nuclear structure

With the advent of medium and large gamma detector arrays, it is now possible to look at nuclear structure at high rotational forces. The role of pairing correlations and their eventual breakdown, along with the shell effects have showed us the interesting physics for nuclei at high spins — superdeformation, shape co-existence, yrast traps, alignments and their dramatic effects on nuclear structure and so on. Nuclear structure studies have recently become even more exciting, due to efforts and possibilities to reach nuclei far off from the stability valley. Coupling of gamma ray arrays with ‘filters’, like neutron wall, charged particle detector array, gamma ray total energy and multiplicity castles, conversion electron spectrometers etc gives a great handle to study nuclei produced online with ‘low’ cross-sections. Recently we studied, nuclei in mass region 80 using an array of 8 germanium detectors in conjunction with the recoil mass analyser, HIRA at the Nuclear Science Centre and, most unexpectedly came across the phenomenon of identical bands, with two quasi-particle difference. The discovery of magnetic rotation is another highlight. Our study of light In nucleus, 107In brought us face to face with the ‘dipole’ bands. I plan to discuss some of these aspects. There is also an immensely important development — that of the ‘radioactive ion beams’. The availability of RIB, will probably very dramatically influence our ‘conventional’ concept of nuclear structure. The exotic shapes of these exotic nuclei and some of their expected properties will also be touched upon.     

Production of light nuclei,hypernuclei and their antiparticles in relativistic nuclear collisions

We present, using the statistical model, an analysis of the production of light nuclei, hypernuclei and their antiparticles in central collisions of heavy nuclei. Based on these studies we provide predictions for the production yields of multiply-strange light nuclei.