Momentum distributions of <Superscript>4</Superscript>He nuclei from the <Superscript>6</Superscript>He and <Superscript>6</Superscript>Li breakup

Experimental data on the momentum distributions of ⁴He nuclei originating from ⁶He and ⁶Li breakup on various targets are presented over a wide beam energy range. The experiment with ⁶He was performed at the DRIBs accelerator complex for radioactive beams at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR, Dubna). The intensity of the ⁶He beam used was 5 × 10⁶ particles per second and its energy was 10 MeV per nucleon. The momentum distributions of breakup products were measured by means of the MSP-144 magnetic spectrometer. The distribution width was shown to be virtually independent of the target mass. A small value of this width, σ ～ 28 MeV/c, confirms the presence of a halo in ⁶He. The measurements performed with ⁶Li beams of energy 18 and 46 MeV per nucleon at the U-400M accelerator yielded a width value of σ ～ 50 MeV/c for the momentum distributions of ⁴He nuclei, which is intermediate between that for ⁶He and those for stable nuclei. A compilation of the widths of the momentum distributions of fragments originating from the breakup of various nuclei is presented versus the binding energy of one or two neutrons in these nuclei, the target mass and the projectile energy.     

Role of the nuclear and electromagnetic interactions in the coherent dissociation of the relativistic <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li nucleus into the <Superscript>3</Superscript>H + <Superscript>4</Superscript>He channel

The differential cross section in the transverse momentum Q and a total cross section of (31 ± 4) mb for the coherent dissociation of a 3-A-Ge V/c ⁷Li nucleus through the ³H + ⁴He channel have been measured on emulsion nuclei. The observed Q dependence of the cross section is explained by the predominant supposition of the nuclear diffraction patterns on light (C, N, O) and heavy (Br, Ag) emulsion nuclei. The contributions to the cross section from nuclear diffraction (Q ≤ 400 Me V/c) and Coulomb (Q ≤ 50 Me V/c) dissociations are calculated to be 40.7 and 4 mb, respectively.     

Production of mirror nuclei <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li and <Superscript>7</Superscript>Be in <Superscript>16</Superscript>O<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> interactions at a momentum of 3.25 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> per nucleon

Results of a comparative analysis of processes leading to the production of mirror nuclei ⁷Li and ⁷Be in ¹⁶Op collisions at a momentum of 3.25 GeV/c per nucleon are presented. A comparison of associated multiplicities of accompanying particles is performed. The first results on the mean multiplicity of neutrons appearing as fragments are described.     

High-lying excited states in <Superscript>10</Superscript>Be from the <Superscript>9</Superscript>Be(<Superscript>9</Superscript>Be,<Superscript>10</Superscript>Be)<Superscript>8</Superscript>Be reaction

A transfer-reaction experiment of ⁹Be(⁹Be, ¹⁰Be)⁸Be was performed at a beam energy of 45 MeV. Excited states in ¹⁰Be up to 18.80 MeV are produced using missing mass and invariant mass methods. Most of the observed high-lying resonant states, reconstructed from the α + ⁶He and t + ⁷Li decay channels, agree with the previously reported results. In addition, two new resonances at 15.6 and 18.8 MeV are identified from the present measurement. The 18.55 MeV state is found to decay into both the t + ⁷Li_g.s. and t + ⁷Li* (0.478 MeV) channels, with a relative branching ratio of 0.93 ± 0.33. Further theoretical investigations are encouraged to interpret this new information on cluster structure in neutron-rich light nuclei.     

Coupled-channels analysis of K<Superscript>+</Superscript> scattering from <Superscript>6</Superscript>Li and <Superscript>12</Superscript>C using the Watanabe superposition model

Coupled-channels calculations for the elastic and inelastic scattering of K⁺ at 715 MeV/c by ⁶Li and ¹²C at 635, 715 and 800 kaon Lab momenta have been analysed. The optical potentials of ¹²C and ⁶Li are calculated in terms of the alpha-particle and deuteron optical potentials. Good fits to the experimental data and phenomenological calculations are obtained for ⁶Li and ¹²C nuclei.     

Two-proton correlations in <Superscript>4</Superscript>He<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> interactions at a primary momentum of 5 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>

Correlations of secondary protons in ⁴Hep interactions are investigated in an exclusive experiment with the aid of a 2-m liquid-hydrogen bubble chamber exposed to an alpha-particle beam of momentum 5 GeV/c the kinetic energy of primary protons in the rest frame of the nucleus is T_p=620 MeV). By using data obtained in 4π geometry for six basic channels of ⁴Hep interaction that lead to the production of two protons, the total correlation function for the pp system is determined, along with two-proton correlation functions for individual channels. Experimental results are compared with the predictions of the modified Lednicky-Lyuboshitz model. The value of R=1.6±0.3 fm is obtained for the root-meansquare spacetime radius of pp emission in ⁴Hep interactions. The dependence of the correlation function on the total momentum of two emitted protons and on the momentum-transfer direction is investigated.     

Core-breakup reactions of the halo nuclei 11Be and 11Li: momentum distributions and shadow effects

The halo nuclei ¹¹Be and ¹¹Li have been studied in core-breakup reactions where the halo neutrons are expected to be released without a major distortion due to the reaction. The widths of the halo-neutron momentum distributions have been extracted in coincidence with He fragments, Γ = 32 ± 4 MeV/c, and Li fragments, Γ = 42 ± 4 MeV/c for ¹¹Be and with He fragments, Γ = 42 ± 6 MeV/c for ¹¹Li. The ¹¹Be breakup gives a very low neutron multiplicity of 0.38±0.09 which is a manifestation of the shadowing of the neutron in the core-breakup reaction. This value can be understood from a simple theoretical calculation, which also accounts for the observed transverse momentum widths at small angles.     

Astrophysical <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> factors for radiative proton capture by <Superscript>3</Superscript>H and <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li nuclei

Within the potential cluster model where orbital states are classified according to Young diagrams and isospin, astrophysical S factors are considered for radiative proton capture by ³H and ⁷Li nuclei at energies of up to 1 and 10 keV, respectively. It is shown that the approach used, which takes into account only the E1 transition for the p ³H capture process, makes it possible to describe well the most recent experimental data at c.m. energies in the range from 50 keV to 5MeV. In the case of proton capture by ⁷Li nuclei, an M1 processwas taken into account in addition to the E1 transition, and a general behavior and the magnitude of the experimental S factor could be correctly reproduced owing to this at astrophysical energies, including the region around the resonance at 0.441 MeV (in the laboratory frame).     

Study of the Involvement of <Superscript>8</Superscript>Be and <Superscript>9</Superscript>B Nuclei in the Dissociation of Relativistic <Superscript>10</Superscript>C, <Superscript>10</Superscript>B,and <Superscript>12</Superscript>C Nuclei

The results obtained by estimating the contribution of 8Be and 9B nuclei to the coherent dissociation of ¹⁰C, ¹⁰B, and ¹²C relativistic nuclei in nuclear track emulsions (“white” stars) are presented. The selection of white stars accompanied by 9B leads to a distinct peak appearing in the distribution of the excitation energy of 2α2p ensembles and having a maximum at 4.1 ± 0.3 MeV. A 8Be nucleus manifests itself in the coherent-dissociation reaction ¹⁰B → ²He + H with a probability of (25 ± 5)%, (14 ± 3)% of it being due to 9B decays. The ratio of the branching fractions of the ⁹B + n and ⁹Be + p mirror channels is estimated at 6 ± 1. An analysis of the relativistic dissociation of ¹²C nuclei in a nuclear track emulsion revealed nine 3α events corresponding to the Hoyle state.     

Effect of the structure of neutron-rich <Superscript>8</Superscript>Li and <Superscript>9</Superscript>Li isotopes on the characteristics of proton elastic scattering

The differential cross sections of proton elastic scattering from ⁸Li and ⁹Li nuclei in inverse kinematics have been calculated. The cross sections were determined within the Glauber diffraction theory with the wave functions of nuclei in the three-particle α-t-n, α-t-2n, and ⁷Li-n-n models. Comparison with the existing experimental data for E = 700 and 60 MeV/nucleon made it possible to draw a conclusion about the quality of the wave functions and the adequacy of the potentials used for their calculations.     

Heavy lithium isotope <Superscript>11,12</Superscript>Li production in pion absorption reactions on a <Superscript>14</Superscript>C radioactive target

The results from an experimental search for the production of heavy lithium isotopes ^11,12Li in stopped π⁻-meson absorption reactions on a ¹⁴C radioactive target are presented. A pronounced peak is observed in the missing mass spectrum of the ¹⁴C(π⁻, pp)X reaction, which is associated with the formation of a nucleon-unstable ¹²Li state with the following resonance parameters: E _R = 4.0 ± 0.2 MeV and Γ = 1.1 ± 0.2 MeV. Resonance parameters of three low-lying ¹¹Li excited states were determined in the ¹⁴C(π⁻, pd)X, reaction.     

Deuteron scattering on <Superscript>6</Superscript>Li at an energy of 25 MeV

At an energy of 25 MeV and in the angular range 7°−175° in the laboratory frame, angular distributions were measured for elastic deuteron scattering on ⁶Li nuclei and for the respective inelastic-scattering processes accompanied by the transitions to the ground state (1+) of the ⁶Li nucleus and to its excited state at E _x = 2.186 MeV (J ^π = 3⁺). The resulting data were analyzed on the basis of the optical model of the nucleus and the coupled-reaction-channel method with allowance for the mechanism of alpha-particle-cluster exchange. It is shown that only upon including, in the analysis, channel coupling and the exchange mechanism can the experimental cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering be reproduced over the entire range of angles.     

New approximations to the energy dependences of the total cross sections for the proton-induced fission of <Superscript>197</Superscript>Au, <Superscript>203</Superscript>Tl, <Superscript>nat</Superscript>Pb,and <Superscript>209</Superscript>Bi nuclei

The total cross sections for ¹⁹⁷Au and ²⁰³Tl fission induced by protons of energy varied from about 200 to 1000 MeV with a step of about 100 MeV are measured. New approximations to the energy dependences of the cross sections for the proton-induced fission of ¹⁹⁷Au, ²⁰³Tl, natPb, and ²⁰⁹Bi nuclei are presented and discussed. For all of these nuclei, exponential functions are used as approximations.     

Peculiarities in total cross sections of reactions with weakly bound nuclei <Superscript>6</Superscript>He, <Superscript>9</Superscript>Li

The energy dependence of the total cross sections for the ⁶He + Si and ⁹Li + Si reactions was measured at beam energies between 5 and 20 MeV per nucleon. The results agree with experimental data published for the ⁶He + Si reaction. New data are obtained for the ⁹Li + Si reaction in the vicinity of a local enhancement of the total cross section. A theoretical analysis of the possible reasons behind the appearance of this peculiarity in the case of collisions of ⁶He and ⁹Li nuclei with silicon target nuclei is performed. In particular, the enhancement may owe its origin to the effect of loosely bound projectile nucleons.     

Spectroscopy of the <Superscript>5</Superscript>H superheavy hydrogen isotope

The formation of the ⁵H superheavy hydrogen isotope was experimentally sought in the reactions induced by stopped π^? mesons absorbed by ⁹Be nuclei. Peaks in missing-mass spectra were observed in two reaction channels, ⁹Be(π^?, pt)X and ⁹Be(π^?, dd)X, and were attributed to the ⁵H resonance states. The lowest state has parameters Er=5.5±0.2 MeV and Г=5.4±0.5 MeV [E_r is the resonance energy measured from the (triton + two neutrons) threshold]. Therefore, ⁵H is bound more weakly than ⁴H. Excited states of ⁵H were also observed. All three resonance levels (E_1r=10.6±0.3 MeV, Г_1r=6.8±0.5 MeV; E_2r=18.5±0.4 MeV, Г_2r=4.8±1.3 MeV; E_3r=26.7±0.4 MeV, Г_3r=3.6±1.3 MeV) can decay into five free nucleons.     

Spectroscopy of the <Superscript>10</Superscript>Li isotope in stopped pion absorption reactions on a <Superscript>14</Superscript>C radioactive target

A search for the ¹⁰Li formation was performed in missing mass spectra measured in stopped pion absorption reactions ¹⁴C(π ⁻, pt)X and ¹⁴C(π ⁻, dd)X. Three excited states of ¹⁰Li were found. The broad state with a resonance energy of E _R = 6.13 ± 0.11 MeV has the highest excitation energy in comparison with levels observed earlier.     

Further study and analysis of the <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li on <Superscript>56</Superscript>Fe reaction at 50 MeV incident energy

We present deuteron and triton spectra measured at 12 laboratory angles from the reaction of 50 MeV ⁷Li on ⁵⁶Fe together with evaporative components as modeled by CASCADE and fitted to the backward angle data. The deuteron and triton “break-up” spectra obtained by subtracting the evaporative components from the measured spectra are also presented. The break-up of the ⁷Li projectile near the surface occurs with high probability and the major fraction of the break-up cross-section is taken by (⁷Li,α) transfer process. A crude estimate of the fraction of the total cross-section is found to be of the same order of magnitude as the overall spectroscopic factor determined by the diffraction model. The value of the estimated fraction of total cross section at 50 MeV incident energy is compared to that at 68 MeV incident energy for the same reaction. However, these values of estimated fraction of total cross section are found very much consistent with the measured yields at both incident energies. The importance of the level density parameter in locating the maximum of excitation energy is indicated in the diffraction model.     

Investigation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">pn</Emphasis> correlations in <Superscript>4</Superscript>He<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> interactions at a momentum of 5 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>

Proton-neutron correlations in ⁴Hep interactions are studied in an exclusive experiment by using a 2-m bubble chamber exposed to a 5-GeV/c beam of α particles (the kinetic energy of the protons in the nucleus rest frame is T _p = 620 MeV). Data on the production of pn pairs in 4π geometry for three channels, where it is possible to reconstruct the neutron momentum unambiguously, are used to determine the pn correlation function in ⁴Hep interactions. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of a modified Lednicky-Lyuboshitz model. The value obtained for the root-mean-square radius of the pn-emission region is R _pn = 2.1 ± 0.3 fm. The dependence of the correlation function on the modulus of the total momentum of the emitted nucleon pair and on the direction of the momentum transfer is studied. An indication that the emission of a pn pair proceeds predominantly through the production of a virtual deuteron is obtained.     

Electric dipolarizability of <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li

We calculate the electric dipolarizability of ⁷Li nucleus within the cluster model and estimate a value of about 0.0188 fm³. We also discuss the possibility of observing this in the scattering of ⁷Li from a ²⁰⁸Pb target at energies about 30 MeV.