Cross sections and isomeric ratios in the photoproduction of 44Sc from heavier nuclei

The yields and isomeric yield ratios in the photoproduction of⁴⁴Sc from ⁴⁵Sc, ⁵⁵Mn, Fe, ⁵⁹Co and ⁷⁵As have been measured by activation methods in the energy region 100–800 MeV. Mean cross sections and isomeric cross-section ratios in the energy region 250–800 MeV have been deduced and the number of valence neutrons available for the (γ, n) reaction estimated. The experimental cross sections are compared both to cascade-evaporation calculations based upon the free-nucleon photopion cross sections and to cross sections calculated with a semi-empirical formula. The isomeric cross-section ratios are compared to calculations based on the statistical formalism by Huizenga and Vandenbosch together with cascade-evaporation theory.     

Analysis of isomeric ratios for medium-mass nuclei

Values of the isomeric ratios for product nuclei originating from simple charge-exchange reactions were analyzed. The cross sections for the formation of product nuclei in ground and isomeric states were calculated with the aid of the TALYS 1.4 and EMPIRE 3.2 codes. The calculated values of the isomeric ratios were compared with their experimental counterparts taken from the EXFOR database. For the ^86,87Y, ^94,95,96,99Tc, and ⁴⁴Sc nuclei, the experimental values of the isomeric ratios exceed the respective calculated values. The nuclei in question feature weak deformations and have high-spin yrast lines and rotational bands. The possible reason behind the discrepancy between theoretical and experimental isomeric ratios is that the decay of yrast states leads with a high probability to the formation of isomeric states of detected product nuclei.     

Reinvestigation of the decay scheme of the short-lived isomeric states in112In

The two short-lived isomeric states in¹¹²In have been reinvestigated by means of the¹¹²Cd(d, 2n) and¹⁰⁹Ag (α, n) reactions. Measurements of delayed X- andγ-ray, lifetime and TDPAD spectra have been performed. A 6.32(3) keVγ-ray has been identified in the isomeric decay and anM1 multipolarity has been assigned to it on the basis of the measured internal conversion coefficients:α _L =196(39) andα _tot=231(35). TheE1+M2(δ =+0.24(4)) andE2 multipolarities have been determined for the 263 and 188 keV transitions deexciting the 8^?(T _1/2=2.82(2) μs) and 7⁺ (T _1/2=0.93(2) μs) isomeric states, respectively. A revised isomeric decay scheme is presented.     

Isomeric state of 80Y and its role in the astrophysical rp-process

A careful investigation of the isomeric transition of the long-lived state at 228.5 keV excitation energy in ⁸⁰Y has been done. The HIGISOL facility at the Jyv?skyl? isochronous cyclotron has been used. We used the electron magnetic transporter to prepare an appropriate source and to measure the electron spectra in clean background conditions. The measured internal conversion coefficient α_K = 0.50±0.07 allows unambiguous 1^- identification for the 228.5 keV first excited isomeric state in ⁸⁰Y. With a “bare" half-life of 6.8±0.5 s found in this work, this state is strongly populated in the rp-process during X-ray bursts and has therefore to be taken into account in X-ray burst model calculations. However, because of the similarity of the β-decay half-lives of isomeric and ground states, we find a maximum reduction in the effective β-decay lifetime of ⁸⁰Y of only 17±2%. Our results pave the way for a future investigation of the impact of the isomeric state on the “effective" ⁸⁰Y proton capture rate. Received: 14 March 2001 / Accepted: 10 July 2001     

Isomeric ratios in photonuclear reactions of molybdenum isotopes induced by bremsstrahlung in the giant dipole resonance region

We have determined the isomeric ratios of isomeric pairs ^97m,gNb, ^95m,gNb and ^91m,gMo produced in ⁹⁸Mo(γ, p)^97m,gNb, ⁹⁶Mo(γ, p)^95m,gNb and ⁹²Mo(γ, n)^91m,gMo photonuclear reactions in the giant dipole resonance (GDR) region by the activation method. The results were analyzed, discussed and compared with the similar data from literature to examine the role of excitation energy, neutron configuration, channel effect and direct and pre-equilibrium processes in (γ, p) photonuclear reactions. In this work the isomeric ratios for ^97m,gNb from 14 to 19 MeV, for ^195m,gNb from14 to 24 MeV except 20 and 23.5 MeV and for ^91m,gMo at 14 and 15 MeV are the first time measurements.     

Quadrupole moment of the 7+ isomeric state in112In

The electric quadrupole coupling constant of the 7⁺ 350.8 keV isomeric state in¹¹²In has been measured by the TDPAD method in the polycrystalline metallic Cd lattice at 489 K. The determined quadrupole moment |Q| (7⁺)=103(3) fm² was compared with the empirical estimation according to the additivity relation and the calculated value within the interacting boson-fermion-fermion/odd-odd truncated quadrupole phonon model. The quadrupole moment of the 8⁻ 613.7 keV isomeric state has been remeasured as |Q|(8⁻)=9.5(3) fm².     

Isomeric decay studies around 204Pt and 148Tb

Relativistic energy projectile fragmentation of ²⁰⁸Pb has been used to produce a range of exotic nuclei. The nuclei of interest were studied by detecting delayed gamma rays following the decay of isomeric states. Experimental information on the excited states of the neutron-rich N=126 nucleus, ²⁰⁴Pt, following internal decay of two isomeric states, was obtained for the first time. In addition, decays from the previously reported isomeric I=27ħ and I=(49/2)ħ states in ¹⁴⁸Tb and ¹⁴⁷Gd, respectively, have been observed. These isomeric decays represent the highest spin discrete states observed to date following a projectile fragmentation reaction, and opens further the possibility of doing `high-spin physics' using this technique.     

Cross section of metastable state population in the photoneutron decay of the E1 giant resonance for 110Pd, 112Cd, and 113In nuclei

The cross sections of isomeric state excitation in the ¹¹⁰Pd(γ, n)^109m Pd, ¹¹²Cd(γ, n)^111m Cd, and ¹¹³In(γ, n)^112m In reactions have been investigated. The measurements were performed in the γ-ray energy range 9–18 MeV with a step ΔE = 0.5 MeV. The dependences of the isomeric ratios on the γ-ray energy are obtained. The experimental data are compared with the results of calculations within the cascade-evaporation model.     

Lichtausbeute von Naphthalin bei planarem Channeling und Blocking von 4,50MeV-α-Teilchen

The 12^? isomeric state of²⁰⁶Tl formerly produced by charged particles, was produced in 14 MeV neutron induced (n, α) reaction on Bi. An intensity balance was deduced from known gamma lines and several new weak gamma lines were observed. Theoretical considerations on the production probability of the isomeric state and on some intensity ratios are given. The half-life of the isomeric state was determined in good agreement with former measurements.     

Erzeugung neuer isomerer Kernzustände durch Kernphotoreaktionen am Antimon und Thallium

The systematic search for new short-lived isomeric states has been continued by irradiation of an additional 32 selected elements with 26 MeV bremsstrahlung. Isomeric transitions were detected using a conventional scintillation spectrometer. Irradiation of antimony led to the production of a new (530±50) μsec isomeric state which decays through emission of partially converted (62±2) keV and (76±3) keV gamma rays. The 530 μsec half-life is tentatively associated with the 136 keV level in Sb¹²². An apparent inconsistency in the previously proposed level scheme of Sb¹²² can be removed if the 3.5 min Sb¹²²-activity is assigned to an isomeric level in Sb¹²² lying less than 15 keV above the 136 keV isomeric state. A new measurement of the half-life of this level yielded a value of (4.1₅±0.2) min. Another new isomeric state with a (2.l±0.2) msec half-life was produced by irradiating thallium. The isomeric state decays by emission of two gamma rays of (335±8) keV and (597±12) keV which were found to be in coincidence. Irradiation of erbium led to the production of a short-lived isomeric transition which may be identical with a previously reported Ho-isomer. Results are discussed in the appendix.     

Coulomb excitation of the Kπ=16+ rotational band in 178Hf

A heavy-ion multiple Coulomb excitation experiment on a very exotic target containing microweight quantities of ¹⁷⁸Hf in the K^πn = 16⁺ isomeric state has been performed at 4.77 MeV/u ²⁰⁸Pb beam energy. The first excited I^π = 17⁺ state has been observed at an excitation energy of 357.4 ± 0.3 keV with respect to the isomeric state. The intrinsic electric quadrupole moment of Q ₀ = 8.2 ± 1.1 b has been derived from the experimental data within the rigid rotor model.     

Study of the excitation of high-spin isomers in <Superscript>190</Superscript>Ir and <Superscript>196,198</Superscript>Au in the near-threshold region

The isomeric ratios of the yields for ^190m,g Ir and ^196m,g Au have been measured in the (γ,n) reaction in the near-threshold region at γ-ray energies of 12 and 12.5 MeV. The isomeric ratios for ^198m,g Au have been measured in the (d,p) and (n,γ) reactions. The statistical nature of the (γ,n) and (n,γ) reactions is shown.     

Properties of the 13/2+ isomeric decay in201Hg

The isomeric decay of theT _1/2=94 us isomeric state in²⁰¹Hg was studied in beam via the reaction¹⁹⁸Pt(α, n). Gamma-ray and conversion-electron spectra were recorded. From the conversion coefficients, the multipolarities of the two depopulating transitions were determined to beM 2 + 10%E 3 andE 2, respectively. These assignments give the depopulating transitions to be 13/2⁺ → 9/2^? and 9/2^? → 5/2^?, and these thus substantiate the previous suggestion that the isomeric state hasJ ^π=13/2⁺. For the 13/2⁺ → 9/2^? M 2 transition a detailed study ofE 3 andM 4 admixed amplitudes was done. The microscopic properties of the 13/2⁺ and 9/2^? states are discussed, and a comparison to the corresponding ones in^199,203,205Hg is made.     

Investigation of the <Superscript>232</Superscript>Th and <Superscript>238</Superscript>U photofission

The average angular momenta of the ⁸⁴Br, ¹³²Sb, ¹³³Te, and ¹³⁵Xe fission fragments, produced as a result of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U photofission by bremmsstrahlung γ photons with an endpoint energy of 8.5 MeV, have been determined by measuring the isomeric yield ratios. The experimental isomeric yield ratios have been calculated taking into account the contribution from β decay of isobaric nuclei to the yields of isotopes studied.     

Location of the181Os isomeric state

The decay of¹⁸¹Ir has been studied on-line with mass-separated sources from the ISOCELE facility. The level scheme of¹⁸¹ Os has been established. The isomeric state has been located at 48.9 keV above the ground state. Thus the isomeric and ground states are identified as the 7/2?(T1/2 =2.7 m) and 1/2?(T1/2=105 m) levels respectively.     

Coulomb excitation of the Kπ=16+ rotational band in178Hf

A heavy-ion multiple Coulomb excitation experiment on a very exotic target containing microweight quantities of¹⁷⁸Hf in the K^π = 16⁺ isomeric state has been performed at 4.77 MeV/u²⁰⁸Pb beam energy. The first excited I^π = 17⁺ state has been observed at an excitation energy of 357.4±0.3 keV with respect to the isomeric state. The intrinsic electric quadrupole moment ofQ ₀=8.2±1.1 b has been derived from the experimental data within the rigid rotor model.     

An investigation of short-lived isomers in the nuclei90,92Nb,99Mo,98,100,101Tc and101Ru

Short-lived isomers in the nuclei^90,92Nb,⁹⁹Mo,^98,100,101Tc and¹⁰¹Ru populated in photonuclear reactions were studied by pulsed beam techniques. Energy and half-life of theγ-rays deexciting the isomeric levels were measured by recording energy-time spectra. The delayedγ-rays andK X-rays were detected by means of an intrinsic Ge-detector of high resolution. From the measured intensity ratios internal conversion coefficients were determined. The multipolarities of the isomeric transitions could be deduced in most cases. A classification of the observed isomers has been tried on the basis of the obtained experimental results and most recent literature data.     

Beschleunigungsreaktionen von Neutronen

Acceleration of neutrons by isomeric nuclei. The inelastic neutron acceleration (INNA) by long living isomeric nuclei is studied. The theoretical estimates of the INNA cross-sections for thermal neutrons for a number of isomers give the values in the range 0.1 - 10²b. Inelastic acceleration of thermal neutrons was observed by ^152mEu and ^180mHf, and confirmed the high value of the INNA cross-sections. As a result of the high probability of acceleration some isomeric nuclei ^113mIn, ^115mIn, are not usual moderators but accelerators of neutrons. The use of the INNA reaction for the study of high excited levels and the nature of various nuclear hindrances are discussed.     

Magnetic moment of the 3+, one millisecond isomer in self-conjugate46V

Theg-factor of the one millisecond isomer (first excited state at 801 keV) in self-conjugate⁴⁶V was measured by the perturbed angular distribution method. The isomeric state was populated by the heavy ion reaction³²S(¹⁶O,pn)⁴⁶V and recoil implanted into a liquid metal. The result,g=+0.546(10) extends the known isoscalar moments to heavier nuclei and is in close agreement with all previously measured isoscalar moments in thef _7/2 shell. Theγ-ray angular distribution confirms the spin 3 assignment of the isomeric state.     

Formation of isomeric states in (γ, γ′) reactions at energies around the giant dipole resonance

The population of isomeric states in (γ, γ′) photonuclear reactions at energies around the giant dipole resonance is considered for ¹¹⁵In and ¹⁸⁰Hf nuclei. The results are compared with previously published experimental and theoretical data. The behavior of the excitation function suggests an increase in the cross section for the formation of high-spin isomeric states in the giant-dipole-resonance region.