Energy levels of Tm

Fifty-one levels in Tm¹⁶⁸ have been observed up to an excitation energy of 1514 keV utilizing 12-MeV deuterons and the reaction Tm¹⁶⁹(d, t)Tm¹⁶⁸. The Q value of the lowest observed state was determined to be −1776 ± 15 keV. The spectrum below 700 keV has been interpreted in terms of the coupling of the [411↓] Nilsson proton orbital with the neutron orbitals prominent in the low-energy (d, t) spectrum of Er¹⁶⁷. This interpretation has resulted in the determination of relative energies due to the residual neutron-proton interaction for six different configurations. The observed singlet-triplet splitting energies for the [633↑], [521↓], and [512↑] neutron orbitals coupled to the [411↓] proton orbital were measured to be −157, +191, and −234 keV, respectively. Theoretical calculations of these energies made for a zero range spin-dependent central potential gave values of −87, +154, and −255 keV, respectively. The good agreement indicates that the spin-spin interaction can account for most of the singlet-triplet splitting energy.     

Rotational bands in Ho

The excited states of the deformed odd-proton nucleus ¹⁶¹Ho have been studied in the reactions ¹⁵⁹Tb(, 2n), ¹⁶¹Dy(d, 2n) and ¹⁶¹Dy(p, n). Gamma-ray spectra in single and coincidence modes as well as angular distributions and excitation functions of the transitions were measured. The proposed level scheme of ¹⁶¹Ho contains besides of the ground state band ⁻[523] the bands ⁺[404], ⁺[411], ⁺[411] and ⁻ [541] (band heads at 252.7, 298.7, 211.2 and 423.9 keV, respectively). An attempt was made to estimate the influence of Coriolis coupling between the bands ⁺ [411] and ⁺ [411], which are very close in energy. The ⁺ [404] band was found to de-excite by very fast E1 transitions to the ground state band ⁻[523]. Nilsson retardation factors of about 0.03 for these transitions were deduced using the E2/E1 branching ratios. An investigation has also been made of the independent feeding of the levels from high-lying states.     

The decay of Ho and Ho

The disintegration characteristics of ^164mHo and ^164gHo have been studied using a high-resolution Ge(Li) spectrometer. Radioactive samples of ^164mHo and ^164gHo were obtained through the (n, 2n) reaction on spectroscopically pure holmium oxide with 14 MeV neutrons. The isomeric cross-section ratio for the yields of the ground and metastable states has been estimated to be 1.0±0.25. Gamma rays of 37.7 and 56.1 keV energy have been assigned to the decay of ^164mHo and 73.4 and 91.5 keV γ-rays are attributed to the decay of ^164gHo by electron capture and negaton emission, respectively. The branching ratio for the electron capture decay of ^164gHo to the levels in ¹⁶⁴Dy has been estimated accurately from the analysis of X-ray intensities. The results have been incorporated into a decay scheme.     

Spin-spin effect in the Ho total neutron cross section at energies of 0.4 and 1.0 MeV

Measurements of the spin-spin effect, σ_ss in the total cross section for polarized neutrons on polarized ¹⁶⁵Ho are reported at neutron energies of 0.4 and 1.0 MeV. The absence of an observable effect at 1.0 MeV is in contradiction with a recently reported experimental result. The results of an improved theoretical calculation of σ_ss for neutron energies below 8 MeV are presented and used with the new experimental data to obtain the new limit V_ss < 300 keV for the strength of the spin-spin potential.     

New evidence for a subshell gap at N=32

An 879.9(2) keV γ-ray transition has been identified following the β decay of ⁵⁸V and assigned as the 2⁺₁→0⁺₁ transition in ⁵⁸Cr₃₄. A peak in the energies of the first excited 2⁺ states for the even–even chromium isotopes is now evident at ⁵⁶Cr₃₂, providing empirical evidence for a significant subshell gap at N=32. The appearance of this neutron subshell closure for neutron-rich nuclides may be attributed to the diminished π1f_7/2–ν1f_5/2 monopole proton–neutron interaction as protons are removed from the 1f_7/2 single-particle orbital.     

New isomeric states in Fr and At

Alpha spectroscopic data from the decay chain ²¹⁸Fr → ²¹⁴At → ²¹⁰Bi have been obtained. Previously unobserved isomeric states were found in both ²¹⁸Fr and ²¹⁴At. The half-life of the ground state of ²¹⁸Fr was measured to be 1.3^+0.5 _−0.4 ms. The half-life of the new isomeric state in ²¹⁸Fr was determined to be 22.0±0.5 ms and its decay was found to be very complex with no fewer than 20 -groups varying in energy between 6837 keV and 7952 keV. Two long-lived states in ²¹⁴At with half-lives of 558±10 ns and 760±15 ns, respectively, were found to be strongly populated in the decay of ^218mFr. These two states are proposed to be a 1⁻ ground state and a 9⁻ isomeric state arising from the coupling between the unpaired h_9/2 proton and g_9/2 neutron.     

Polarisation circulaire du rayonnement gamma de Sb, Cs et Ag

The βγ circular polarization correlation of the 3⁻(β⁻ 621 keV)3⁻(γ 1692)2⁺ cascade in ¹²⁴Sb, the 4⁺(β⁻ 662)4⁺ (γ 796)2⁺ (γ 605)0⁺ in ^13Z4Cs and the 6⁺(β⁻529)6⁺ (γ 937)4⁺ (γ 885)2⁺ (γ 658)0⁺ in ^110mAg have been studied by using a Compton effect polarimeter. The measured asymmetry parameters are 0.172±0.004, −0.0702 ±0.0024 and 0.0549±0.0013 respectively.     

Single and double dissociation in πp collisions at 11 and 16 GeV/c

The reactions π⁻p → 2π⁻π⁺p, π⁻p → 2π⁻π⁺π^op and π⁻p → 2π⁻2π⁺n are analysed at 11 and 16 GeV/c using longitudinal phase space (LPS) plots. The weighted LPS distributions for π⁻p → 2π⁻π⁺p is dominated by two well separated structures corresponding to single diffraction dissociation of the pion, π⁻p → (2π⁻π⁺)p, and of the proton, π⁻p → π⁻(π⁻π⁺p). The former is more abundant than the latter, and both are approximately constant with energy. In contrast, processes of type π⁻p → (2π)(πp) decrease with increasing energy.

In the five-body reactions the weighted LPS distribution reveals especially at 16 GeV/c a maximum for single dissociation of the proton into 3πp, namely π⁻p → π⁻(π⁻π⁺π^op); this process is likely to be diffractive. The neutron channel has a corresponding maximum displaced toward a multiperipheral configuration π⁻p → π⁻(π⁻2π⁺)n. Another strong maximum corresponds to the pion dissociation π⁻p → (2π⁻π⁺π^o)p. This is interpreted to be an ω-exchange process because no analogous structure occurs in π⁻p → (2π⁻2π⁺)n. Finally, a broad structure reveals double dissociation of both incident particles; it occurs in the two channels π⁻p → (2π⁻π⁺)(π^op) and π⁻p → (2π⁻π⁺)(π⁺n), being stronger in the latter. Further analysis of this process in terms of isospin exchange suggests that it is partially diffractive. Factorization is also discussed.

An appendix gives general aspects of the LPS analysis for the asymptotic study of n-body collisions at very high energy.     

Quenching of the 2p1/2−2p3/2 proton spin-orbit splitting in the Sr−Zr region

The constancy in excitation energy of the lowest 2⁺ state in the Sr isotopes across sthe N=56 subshell closure is shown to result from a reduction in the 2p_1/2−2p_3/2 proton spin-orbit splitting as the 2d_5/2 neutron orbital is filled     

Prompt γ-rays from Pb following neutron emission from muonic Pb

We have measured the energies and intensities of prompt γ-rays from ²⁰⁶Pb that follow neutron emission from muonic ²⁰⁷Pb. For the levels at 803, 1704 and 2648 keV we deduce muonic isomer shifts. By comparing the relative and absolute yields of the γ-rays with the intensities of neutron groups observed in (γ, n) reactions, we find that roughly 50% of the prompt neutrons from muonic ²⁰⁷Pb result from radiationless deexcitation of atomic levels with .     

Band structures and proton-neutron interactions in Ta

Six rotational bands in the odd-odd nucleus ¹⁷⁴Ta have been populated with the ¹⁶⁰Gd(¹⁹F,5n) reaction. High-spin states were identified using the NORDBALL array. Both signatures of the doubly decoupled π1/2⁻ [541] ν1/2⁻ [521] band and semi-decoupled π1/2⁻ [541] ν7/2⁻ [633] band are observed, in addition to the high-K couplings of the π9/2⁻ [514] ν7/2⁺ [633], π9/2⁻ [514] ν5/2⁻ [512], π7/2⁺ [404] ν7/2⁺ [633], and π5/2⁺ [402] ν5/2⁻ [512] configurations. The signature splitting of the π1/2⁻ [541] ν7/2⁺ [633] band is inverted from the expected splitting, and this is interpreted as being due to a residual proton-neutron interaction. It is shown empirically that this interaction, together with deformation changes, can account for the increased crossing frequency associated with the alignment of i_13/2 neutrons in the π1/2⁻ [541] bands of odd-Z nuclei.     

Experimental study of proton and neutron spin-flip contributions to the electroexcitation of the J=1 state at Ex=5.846 MeV in Pb

The momentum transfer dependence (q=0.20−0.59 fm⁻¹) of the recently discovered M1 transition from the J^π=1⁺ state at E_x=5.846 MeV to the ground state of ²⁰⁸Pb has been studied with high-resolution inelastic electron scattering. The experimental data are compared to results of RPA calculations which include tensor correlations. The influence of these correlations and of the interference of proton and neutron contributions on the M1 transition will be discussed.     

Isomerism in Ag and non-yrast levels in Pd and Rh, studied in β decay

The β decay of ⁹⁶Ag (Z=47,N=49) was investigated by measuring positrons, X rays as well as β-delayed protons and γ rays. The γ radiation was studied by means of germanium detectors and a NaI total-absorption spectrometer. Two β-decaying isomers in ⁹⁶Ag were established with half-lives of 4.40(6) and 6.9(6) s and tentative spin–parity assignments of (8⁺) and (2⁺), respectively. For both isomers, the intensities of β transitions to low-lying levels of ⁹⁶Pd (Z=46,N=50) and β-delayed proton decays to levels in ⁹⁵Rh (Z=45,N=50) were measured. Several new ⁹⁶Pd levels were firmly established. The level energies, their γ decays and the Gamow–Teller decay of ⁹⁶Ag are compared to shell-model predictions. A new low-lying level in ⁹⁵Rh was found at 680 keV excitation energy. Through a comparison with low-lying states of N=50 isotones, this level is interpreted as the first excited 7/2⁺ state built on the proton 9/2⁺ ground state. The assignments of further excited states in ⁹⁵Rh are discussed.     

Electron coincidence spectroscopy of O2: Valence electron momentum distributions and binding energies

The binding energy spectra and momentum distributions for the valence orbital transitions of molecular oxygen have been obtained using the (e,2e) reaction at total electron energies of 400 and 1200 eV. The outer π_g orbital is found to have a wave-function which is significantly more extended in momentum space than that of the more-tightly bound π_u orbitals. This is interpreted as a consequence of the single occupancy of the anti-bonding π_g orbitals. Peaks at 39 and 47 eV are assigned to ^4,2Σ_g⁻ ion states on the basis of the observed momentum distributions. The momentum distribution and observed intensity for the 32.5 eV transition supports the assignment of 2 Π_u for this ion state. The measured relative strengths for the various Π_u and Σ_u transitions are in qualitative agreement with CI and Green's function calculations.     

Decay of Ru, Zr and Nb

The decay of ⁹⁷Ru, ⁹⁷zr and ⁹⁷Nb to levels in ⁹⁷Tc, ⁹⁷Nb and ⁹⁷Mo has been studied with Ge(Li), NaI(Tl), plastic scintillation, and Si (Li) detectors in singles and coincidence experiments. Level schemes were constructed with states in ⁹⁷Te at 96.5, 215.2, 324.4, (560), 785.5, 856 and 971 keV; in ⁹⁷Nb at 743.5, 1148.6, 1251.4, 1276.6, 1549.2, 1751.2, 1764.0, 1852.0, 2106.9 and 2247 keV; and in ⁹⁷Mo at 656.0, 1022.0, 1274.5 and 1514 keV. From β-endpoint energies, disintegration energies of ⁹⁷Zr and ⁹⁷Nb were determined to be 2580 ± 50 keV and 1830 ± 50 keV, respectively. Decay scheme considerations and an upper limit to the β⁺/ec ratio established the disintegration energy of ⁹⁷Ru to be about 1100 keV. Neither the effective-interaction method nor the pairing-correlation model accounts for the experimentally determined levels in mass-97 nuclei.     

A study of the Li(p,n)Be reaction by the neutron threshold technique

The reaction ⁶Li(p,n)⁶Be has been studied by slow-neutron detection, with particular attention to the ⁶Be ground state threshold. The detector response was calculated by a Monte Carlo technique and verified with a measurement of the ⁷Li(,n)¹⁰B threshold. An analysis of the shape of the ⁶Be threshold indicated that both s- and p-wave neutrons contribute significantly to the reaction. The results depend on what mode of decay is assumed for the ground state of ⁶Be. If a two-stage process is assumed, with either an alpha particle and an unbound diproton or ⁵Li and a proton as intermediate state, the width is found to be 95±28 keV and the Q-value obtained for the ⁶Li(p,n)⁶Be reaction is −5074±13 keV. It was not possible to detertmine which process is predominant. No higher thresholds in the slow neutron yield up to 4 MeV of excitation in ⁶Be were observed. The data above the ground state threshold are consistent with a broad excited state of ⁶Be or with the occurrence of other neutron-producing reactions.     

Mössbauer investigations on Np3S5

The 59.5 keV Mössbauer resonance of ²³⁷Np has been measured in Np₃S₅ at 77 and 4.2 K. At 77 K, two different quadrupolar splittings are observed. The first one (δ₁ = −5(1) mm sec⁻¹/NpAl₂) is assigned to the Np⁴⁺ ions and the second one (δ₂ = 28(1) mm sec⁻¹/NpAl₂) is assigned to the Np³⁺ ions. At 4.2 K the spectrum gives a ratio of areas S(Np³⁺)/S(Np⁴⁺) of 2.0. These results clearly confirm the crystallographic data of this mixed-valence material.     

Cross section of the charged current reaction C(ve, e)Ng.s.

The charged current nuclear transition ¹²C(v_e, e⁻)¹²N_g.s. has been observed in the KARMEN experiment. The flux average cross section for v_e from μ⁺ decay at rest is determined to be σ = [8.1±0.9(stat.)±0.75 (syst.)]×10⁻⁴²cm². For the first time also the energy dependence of the cross section has been measured for neutrino energies up to 50 MeV.     

Investigation of parity mixing in Ta and Lu by measurement of the circular polarization of γ-rays

The circular polarization of the 482 keV γ-radiation of ¹⁸¹Ta and the 343 keV γ-radiation of ¹⁷⁵Lu was measured with a Compton polarimeter. Spurious effects arising from higher order contributions of quantum electrodynamics to the Compton scattering cross section were discovered. The results for the polarization are P = − (4.1±1.3)10⁻⁶ for ¹⁸¹Ta and P = − (1.5±6.0)10⁻⁶ for ¹⁷⁵Lu. These values are corrected for instrument asymmetries, bremsstrahlung and intensity of other lines.