Low-energy transitions in the 197Pb and 198Pb isotopes

The ¹⁹⁸Pb and ¹⁹⁷Pb isotopes are produced through the ¹⁸⁶W(¹⁶O, 4n, 5n) reactions. Conversion-electron, γ- and X-ray spectra are measured using the compound-nucleus recoil method. Conversion coefficients and multipolarities are deduced for a large number of transitions. Together with angular distribution measurements and the results of γγt multidimensional coincidences they lead to decay schemes for the two isotopes. Microscopic calculations, performed in the two- or three-quasiparticle approximation with a surface delta interaction, fail to reproduce completely the observed properties, showing similar defects for the odd and even isotope.     

Molecular-orbital X-rays from 1 GeV 208Pb + 208Pb and 209Bi + 209Bi collisions

We have measured the spectra of continuum X-rays above the characteristic K lines for 4.5 to 4.8 MeV/N ²⁰⁸₈₂Pb → ²⁰⁸₈₂Pb, Pb → Bi, Bi → Pb and Bi → Bi collisions. Above ≈400 keV X-ray energy the spectral shape and intensity agree roughly with calculations of Kirsch et al. for the 1sσ molecular-orbital (MO) X-ray spectrum from Pb-Pb. Deviations from the theory below ≈400 keV suggest transitions to other MO's.     

A study of particle-vibration multiplets in 203Tl using the 205Tl(p,t)203Tl, 208Pb(p,t)206Pb and 206Pb(p,t)204Pb reactions

The ²⁰⁵Tl(p, t)²⁰³Tl reaction has been used at 26.2 MeV to obtain additional information on the particle-vibration multiplets in ²⁰³Tl. Enhancement factors for the L = 0 and L = 2 transitions to the lower excited states of ²⁰³Tl were well accounted for by using enhancement factors from the ²⁰⁶Pb(p, t)²⁰⁴Pb reaction and the wave functions from the intermediate coupling calculations of Covello and Sartoris. Additional data on the ²⁰⁸Pb(p, t)²⁰⁶Pb reaction at 26.2 MeV were used along with data at other energies to examine the energy dependence of the zero-range enhancement factors.     

7 MeV dipole ground state transitions in 207Pb, 208Pb and 209Bi

The Doppler-broadened 7.117 MeV line from the ¹⁹F(p, αγ)¹⁶O reaction has been used to resonantly excite levels in ²⁰⁸Pb at 7071±2 and 7091±2 keV, in ²⁰⁷Pb at 7186±5 and 7206±5 keV and in ²⁰⁹Bi at 7179±5 and 7202±5 keV. On the basis of angular distribution measurements the 7071 and 7091 keV levels of ²⁰⁸Pb are assigned spins of 1 and assuming 100% ground state branching the widths are calculated to be 31±3 and 17±2 eV respectively. It is suggested that the states in ²⁰⁷Pb and ²⁰⁹Bi arise from the weak coupling of a $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ neutron hole and an $\text{h}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>9</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ proton respectively to one or the other of the ²⁰⁸Pb levels. The widths obtained in terms of _gΓ_o²/Γ are 15±4 and 25±5 eV for the 7186 and 7206 keV levels of ²⁰⁷Pb and 24±5 and 30±5 for the levels of ²⁰⁹Bi respectively. These values are consistent with the weak-coupling suggestion.     

Axially symmetric time-dependent Hartree-Fock study of the 208Pb + 208Pb reaction

A time-dependent Hartree-Fock calculation assuming axial and reflection symmetry constraints is performed for the head-on collision of ²⁰⁸Pb + ²⁰⁸Pb systems at E_lab≈1600 MeV. The calculation suggests the excitation of surface modes in the reaction and the energy loss characteristic of a deep inelastic process. An estimate of neck-radius and neck-formation time is given.     

The 207Pb(d,p)208Pb reaction with high resolution

The reaction ²⁰⁷Pb(d, p)²⁰⁸Pb has been studied at E_d = 18.0 MeV using the MPI Heidelberg Emperor tandem accelerator and multiple-gap spectrograph. The average resolution of 18 keV was better than previous measurements, and this, combined with the long beam exposure, allowed many finer details of the neutron particle-hole structure of ²⁰⁸Pb to be examined. In all, 45 levels were seen up to E_x = 6.3 MeV, many of which had never been seen before. A DWBA analysis of the stripping transitions angular distributions is made, and values of (2J + 1)S_ij, energy centroids, and summed strengths are given. An interesting cluster of 1i_{$\text{11}\text{2}$} and 2g_{$\text{9}\text{2}$} levels at E_x ≈ 4.2 MeV are resolved and are compared to recent isobaric analog state data. A search for weak stripping strength to known pairing vibrations in ²⁰⁸Pb gave essentially negative results and points to the need for improved ultra-resolution measurements.     

The α-decay rate of 188Pb

As part of our investigation of the reported anomalous α-decay rates of even-even lead nuclei with A ≦ 192 we have measured the α-decay branching ratio of ¹⁸⁸Pb. The isotope was produced in the ¹⁸⁰W(¹⁶O, 8n) reactions, and its decay properties were investigated with the use of the Oak Ridge on-line isotope separator facility. Gamma-ray and α-particle spectra were measured with the detectors placed in calibrated geometries. From these measurements the ¹⁸⁸Pb α-decay branching ratio was determined to be (22 ± 7)%, a value about seven times greater than that available in the literature. This result, together with our recent data for ¹⁹⁰Pb and ¹⁹²Pb, is discussed within the context of α-decay-rate systematics in the lead region.     

12C1 and 8Be production in 12C + 208Pb collisions

The mechanisms involved in the production of fast α-particles in ¹²C-induced reactions have been studied for the ¹²C + ²⁰⁸Pb system at the bombarding energies of E_12c = 132, 187 and 230 MeV. Absolute cross sections for the reactions ²⁰⁸Pb(¹²C. ¹²C¹→α + ⁸Be), ²⁰⁸Pb(¹²C, ⁸Be(g.s.)) and ²⁰⁸Pb(¹²C, ⁸Be(2.94 MeV)) have been determined by coincidence measurement of two or three correlated α-particles. Inclusive α-particle production cross sections were also measured at E_12c = 187 MeV. It is found that the inelastic process (¹²C, ¹²C¹→α + ⁸Be) does not contribute significantly to fast α-particle production but that the production of ⁸Be by projectile fragmentation is an important source of α-particles. At the highest bombarding energy (230 MeV) it appears that the ¹²C → 3α fragmentation reaction becomes more prominent at the expense of the ¹²C→α + ⁸Be fragmentation channel.     

Distribution of single-particle strengths in the nuclei 207Tl, 207Pb, 209Bi and 209Pb

Within the theory of finite Fermi systems we calculate the distribution of single-particle strengths in the odd mass nuclei surrounding ²⁰⁸Pb. The Dyson equation with an energy dependent mass operator is solved and the resulting single-particle propagator is analysed. It turns out that the concept of quasiparticles used in this theory is very well justified for nearly all the states in the first and the second shells below and above the Fermi surface.     

The energy dependence of the spectroscopic factors for the 208Pb(p,d)207Pb reaction

The ²⁰⁸Pb(p,d)²⁰⁷Pb reaction has been studied at 26.3 MeV and data at 121 MeV reanalyzed. These data, along with the data of others at 22, 35, 41 and 55 MeV, have been compared with zero- and exact-finite-range DWBA calculations carried out in a consistent fashion to determine the energy dependence of the spectroscopic factors for the six strong single-neutron-hole states in ²⁰⁷Pb. Strong energy dependencies were noted for the spectroscopic factors, particularly for the $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>7</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{,}\text{h}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>9</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$and$\text{i}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>13</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ states. Variations in the calculations provided no satisfactory understanding of the problem.     

Radiative pion and muon capture on 208Pb

Partial and total rates for the (π^?,γ) and (μ^?,ν) capture reactions on ²⁰⁸Pb have been calculated within RPA.     

Sub-Coulomb transfer reactions on 208Pb with carbon and oxygen projectiles

Single-neutron transfers induced by ^{12, 13}C and ^{16, 17, 18}O projectiles on ²⁰⁸Pb and the ¹²C(¹⁷O, ¹⁶O)¹³C reaction have been studied at energies close to the Coulomb barrier. These processes are well described by the distorted-wave Born approximation. Coupled-channels effects are found to be small. Normalization factors have been determined for all projectile and target transitions, and also for the triton-deuteron overlap by comparison with previous measurements of the ²⁰⁸Pb(d, t)²⁰⁷Pb reaction. The root-mean-square (rms) radii of single-particle neutron wave functions in ²⁰⁸Pb and ²⁰⁹Pb were calculated using known spectroscopic factors. The distribution of the point neutron excess density in the surface region of ²⁰⁸Pb has been derived and its rms radius determined to be 5.93 ± 0.13 fm with a local potential model. This is in good agreement with theoretical predictions, but is considerably larger than estimates based on Coulomb energy differences. The phenomena of core polarisation by the odd particle or hole outside ²⁰⁸Pb is discussed using the single-particle orbitals determined in this work.     

Proton yields from quasielastic pion scattering on 27Al and 208Pb

A singles measurement of the quasielastic scattering of 255 MeV pions by ²⁷Al and ²⁰⁸Pb has been made. The measured values for the ratio R of π⁺ and π^? induced cross section, averaged over all measured angles of 2.2 ± 0.2 and 1.5 ± 0.1 for ²⁷Al and ²⁰⁸Pb respectively are substantially below the classical impulse approximation value of 11. A semiclassical nucleon charge exchange model is described for singles and coincidence measurements and is compared with the measured proton spectra. The comparison indicates that the singles proton spectra are dominated by events other than the quasielastic process whereas the coincidence data reported earlier and compared with the present calculations support the quasielastic interpretation. A strongly decreasing dependence of R on A for coincidence measurements may be interpreted as supporting the view that recoil nucleon charge exchange plays an important role in the quasielastic knockout process.     

Angular distribution of 1.04 GeV protons scattered by 12C, 58Ni, 208Pb

Angular distribution measurements for elastic and inelastic scattering of 1.04 GeV proton by ¹²C, ⁵⁸Ni and ²⁰⁸Pb with an energy resolution of the order of 100 keV are presented.     

Doubly radiative neutron capture by 2H, 3He, 16O and 208Pb

Cross-sections for doubly radiative thermal neutron capture on ²H, ³He, ¹⁶O and²⁰⁸Pb are calculated to be 21, 1200, 41 and 50 nb, corresponding to branching ratios of σ(n, γγ)/σ(n, γ) = 4.0 × 10^?5, ～ × 10^?2, 2.2 × 10^?4 and 1.0 × 10^?4, respectively.     

A microscopic description of inelastic 12C scattering from 208Pb

Heavy-ion inelastic scattering is described microscopically by using an effective nucleon-nucleon interaction and RPA hole-particle wave functions. The relative cross sections for different multipoles can be sensitive to the range of the interaction. The strength is determined by fitting elastic scattering. The model is used to analyze 98 MeV ¹²C ions exciting ²⁰⁸Pb. The range required is shorter than that for the bare interaction between nucleons. Collective model fits are also presented for comparison.     

Electroexcitation of high spin states in 208Pb

The formfactors for the electroexcitation of the collective states of ²⁰⁸Pb have been calculated within the Model of Separable Residual Interaction (MSI); the results for the even parity states up to J^π = 10⁺ agree nicely with recent measurements. It turns out, that the energies of the lowest collective states of positive parity follow rather closely a J(J + 1) law.