Masses of62Fe and the new isotope68Ni from (18O20Ne) reactions

The utility of the (¹⁸O²⁰Ne) reaction at small angles for the mass determination of highly neutron rich nuclei is demonstrated by a determination of the mass excess of⁶²Fe as (?58.946±0.022) MeV and of⁶⁸Ni as (?63.466±0.028) MeV. An excited state of⁶²Fe is observed at 0.875 MeV.     

Measurement of the 158Sm mass excess by the (18O, 20Ne) reaction

A Q- value of 4.046 ±0.102 MeV has been determined for the two protons transfer reaction ¹⁶⁰Gd(¹⁸O, ²⁰Ne) ¹⁵⁸Sm at 98.95 MeV. This result yields a first experimental measured value of ? 65.738 ± 0.102 MeV for the mass excess of ¹⁵⁸Sm, the nucleus far from stability. The result is compared with current theoretical predictions.     

Helium burning of 18O

The ¹⁸O(α, γ)²²Ne capture reaction has been studied at E_α = 0.6?2.3 MeV. The known resonance at E_α = 2.20 MeV has been established and fourteen new resonances have been found in the energy range covered. The E_α = 1.16, 1.32, 1.45, 1.53, 1.87, 1.96 and 2.15 MeV resonances correspond to resonances observed previously in the ¹⁸O(α, n)²¹Ne reaction. The E_α = 0.77, 1.25 and 1.27 MeV resonances represent new compound states in ²²Ne. Information on branching ratios, ωγ values and total widths is reported. Transition strength arguments and analyses of γ-ray angular distribution data together with results from previous work resulted in the most likely J^π assignments for the resonances.The E_α = 1.66 and 1.78 MeV resonances are good candidates for the two J^π = 8⁺ states predicted at E_x ≈ 11–12 MeV and are probably members of the K^π = 0⁺ (ground state) and K^π = 2⁺ rotational bands in ²²Ne.The investigated energy range of E_α together with that of previous work corresponds to stellar temperatures of T = (0.3?4.3) × 10⁹ K. The astrophysical reaction rate determined from these data is compared with predictions based in part on the nuclear optical model. The rate is also compared with that of the competing ¹⁸O(α, n)²¹Ne reaction.     

Non-statistical effects in the 12C(12C, α)20Ne reaction near Ec.m. = 15 MeV

The ¹²C(¹²C, α)²⁰Ne reaction is studied near E_c.m. = 15 MeV. Angular distributions for three energies and excitation functions at θ_{lab = 30°} over an energy range E_c.m. = 14.5?15.4 MeV for about 20 levels in ²⁰Ne (E_ex = 0–13 MeV) are examined. The statistical analysis yields the results that a correlated resonance is present at E_c.m. = 14.75 MeV. A nonstatistical contribution to the reaction is also apparent when energy-averaged cross sections are compared with the Hauser-Feshbach model predictions. Strong population of the 0⁺₃ band in ²⁰Ne is observed.     

The use of exotic heavy ion transfer reactions to study light neutron rich nuclei

The ¹⁸O + ^{207, 208}Pb reaction at E = 93 MeV has been used to measure the mass excesses of ^{21, 22}O ¹⁹N and ¹⁷C. values of 8.095 ± 0.075, 9.29 ± 0.18, 15.96 ± 0.15 and 21.10 ± 0.22 MeV, respectively, were obtained. These results are in good agreement with previous measurements. A comparison with current theoretical predictions is also presented.     

The heavy-ion reaction channels of the system 16O + 16O

The reaction channels of the system ¹⁶O + ¹⁶O with outgoing heavy particles from lithium to magnesium have been measured using a ΔE-E telescope. Excitation functions from 49 to 65 MeV at θ_Lab = 30° and angular distributions from θ_Lab = 10° (20°) to 50° at E_Lab = 51.5 MeV are presented for the strong transitions. The excitation function of the ¹²C-²⁰Ne (4.25 MeV) channel shows a pronounced regular cross structure with peaks at 52 and 60 MeV. A selective excitation of certain states in the inelastic scattering and the ¹²C-²⁰Ne channel is observed; the yields of the other heavy-ion channels being weaker by at least one order of magnitude. An explanation of this phenomenon is given by considering the angular momentum matching between entrance and exit channels. Furthermore it is shown that no strong dependence of the cross sections on the transferred angular momentum or on the nuclear structure of the final states is observed. Possible implications of these results on the reaction mechanism are discussed.     

Evidence of non-statistical structures in the elastic and inelastic scattering of58Ni+58Ni and58Ni+62Ni and intermediate dinuclear states

Excitation functions and angular distributions of⁵⁸Ni+⁵⁸Ni and⁵⁸Ni+⁶²Ni scattering at energies just above the Coulomb barrier have been measured aroundθ _cm=90° in energy stepsΔE _cm=0.25 MeV fromE _cm ? 110 MeV toE _cm ? 120 MeV for⁵⁸Ni+⁵⁸Ni and fromE _cm ? 110 MeV toE _cm ? 118 MeV for⁵⁸Ni+⁶²Ni. Evidence for structure of non-statistical character has been found in the angle-summed excitation functions; this evidence is corroborated by the analysis of the angular distributions. This is the first time that non-statistical structure in elastic and inelastic scattering is reported with high confidence level for this mass and excitation energy ranges. Attempts are presented to understand the nature of this structure, including the presence of intermediate dinuclear states and virtual states in a potential well.     

Use of the64Ni(36S,34Si)66Zn reaction to measure the mass of34Si

The reaction⁶⁴Ni(³⁶S,³⁴Si)⁶⁶Zn atE=198 MeV has been used to measure the mass excess of³⁴Si; a value of ?19.971 _?0.044 ^+0.037 MeV was obtained. This result which is in agreement with the previous value (?19.85±0.30 MeV) is in excellent agreement with recent shell-model mass predictions. The result is discussed within the context of the proposed region of deformation aroundZ=11,N=20.     

Study of proton resonances in 18Ne via resonant elastic scattering of 17F + p and its astrophysical implication in the stellar reaction of 14O(α, p)17F

The stellar ¹⁴O (α, p) ¹⁷F reaction is thought to be one of the most important breakout reactions from the Hot CNO cycles into the rp-process in Type I X-ray bursters. In the present work, the properties of proton resonances in ¹⁸Ne have been investigated efficiently by utilizing a technique of proton resonant elastic scattering with a ¹⁷F radioactive-ion (RI) beam and a thick proton target. A 4.22 MeV/nucleon ¹⁷F RI beam, which was produced via a projectile-fragmentation reaction and experiencing a series of energy degradation, was separated by a Radioactive Ion Beam Line in Lanzhou (RIBLL) and bombarded a (CH₂)_n target. Energy spectra of the recoiled protons were measured by two sets of ΔE-E silicon telescope at center-of-mass scattering angles of θ _c.m. ≈ 175° ± 5°, θ _c.m. ≈ 152° ± 8°, respectively. Several proton resonances in ¹⁸Ne were observed, and their resonant parameters have been determined by an R-matrix analysis of the differential cross-sections. A doublet structure around 7.10 MeV has been identified and thought to be one state at 7.05 MeV (2⁺) and another one at 7.12 MeV (4⁺). The presently calculated total reaction rates of ¹⁴O (α, p) ¹⁷F are, at least, a factor of 1.2 ～ 1.9 larger than the previous ones in a temperature region of 1.7 ～ 3.0 GK mainly owing to the contribution from the 7.05 MeV (2⁺) state. This result implies that this breakout reaction may play a more important role than previously expected.     

Measurements of the radiative widths of the first T = 1, 2+ state of 20Ne and their relationship to analog β-decays

The radiative widths for decays of the ²⁰Ne T = 1, 2⁺ (10.27 MeV) state were measured by resonance α-capture in the reaction ¹⁶O(α, γ)²⁰Ne. A special windowless gas-cell target yielded a low-background spectrum enabling six γ-branches to be observed with a Ge(Li) detector. The six branches correspond to decays from the 10.27 MeV level to the following levels: 2⁺(7.83 MeV), 2⁺(7.42 MeV), 3^?(5.62 MeV), 2^?(4.97 MeV), 2⁺(1.63 MeV) and 0⁺(g.s.). The branching ratios and radiative widths Γ_γ to these levels are: 7.83 MeV [(0.22 ± 0.06)%, 0.008 ± 0.002 eV], 7.42 MeV [(6.9 ± 0.4)%, 0.31 ± 0.04 eV], 5.62 MeV [(2.1 ± 0.2)%, 0.097 ± 0.014 eV], 4.97 MeV [(1.3 ± 0.1)%, 0.060 ± 0.008 eV], 1.63 MeV [(88.9 ± 0.5)%, 4.08 ± 0.43 eV] and 0.0 MeV [(0.64 ± 0.14)%, 0.029 ± 0.008 eV]. The radiative widths to the 1.63 MeV and 7.42 MeV levels are used to determine the CVC predictions of the weak magnetism form factors and their effects on certain β-decay observables are evaluated.     

High-resolution (e,e') study of isovector M1 and M2 transitions in the oxygen isotopes: (I). 16O

The M1 and M2 transition strength distribution for ¹⁶O in the excitation energy range from 16 to 20 MeV has been measured in a high-resolution electron scattering experiment. The M1 strength is concentrated in three sharp states at E_x = 16.22, 17.14 and 18.79 MeV (± 0.01 MeV) with B(M1, k)↑ = 0.20 ± 0.02, 0.32 ± 0.03 and 0.13 ± 0.03 μ_N², respectively. An additional strength of 0.35 ± 0.09 μ_N², distributed over eight weakly excited states with excitation energies E_x = 17.4 to 18.0 MeV, brings the total measured M1 strength to B(M1, k)↑ = 1.0 ± 0.1 μ_N². The experimental M2 strength is distributed over states at E_x = 16.82, 17.78, 18.50 and 19.0 MeV (± 0.01 MeV) with B(M2, k)↑ = 19 ± 2, 13 ± 2, 59 ± 7 and 341 ± 51 μ_N² · fm², respectively. Electric transitions were also measured to states at E_x = 16.45 MeV (2⁺, E2), 17.30 MeV (1⁺, E1) and 18.20 MeV (2⁺, E2). Calculations were performed using the modified surface delta interaction in a 2p-2h shell model for the M1 transitions and the random phase approximation for the M2 transitions. The results show the sensitivity of the M1 strength as a measure of ground-state correlations and compare well with results from the ¹⁵N($\text{p}$, γ) reaction.     

Evidence for equilibration of hot nuclei

The production cross sections of⁷Li in its ground and first excited states have been measured at 14°, 120°, 150°, for the 742 MeV²⁰Ne+⁶⁰Ni reaction. Hauser-Feshbach calculations show that the backward angle data are consistent with an emission temperature greater than 6 MeV. This is in agreement with the values extracted from the slope of the energy spectra and indicates that the emitting source is equilibrated.     

The (3He,n) reaction on 16O and 18O

The (³He, n) reaction on ¹⁶O and ¹⁸O has been used to study low-spin states in ¹⁸Ne and ²⁰Ne up to E_x ≈ 8 and 20 MeV, respectively. The measured neutron angular distributions have been analysed using DWBA. By a comparison with shell-model calculations in the (s, d) shell it is found that most of the two-proton transfer strength can be explained within that shell. Important contributions, however, from the (f, p) shell in low-lying negative parity states are also present.     

Study of proton resonances in 18Ne via resonant elastic scattering of 17F+p and its astrophysical implication

The proton resonant properties in ¹⁸Ne, which determine the reaction rate of the key stellar ¹⁴O(α,p)¹⁷F reaction, have been studied by using a technique of proton resonant elastic scattering of ¹⁷F+p. A 4.22 MeV/nucleon ¹⁷F radioactive ion (RI) beam was produced via a projectile-fragmentation reaction, and separated by a Radioactive Ion Beam Line in Lanzhou (RIBLL). By bombarding a thick (C_H2) _n target, the energy spectra of the recoiled protons were measured by two ΔE-E silicon telescopes at the center-of-mass scattering angles of θ _c.m.≈175°±5°, θ _c.m.≈152°±8°, respectively. Several proton resonances in ¹⁸Ne were observed clearly. A further R-matrix analysis of the experimental data is under way to determine the resonant parameters. The present work reports the preliminary results briefly.     

Emission of high-energy charged particles at 0° in Ne-induced reactions

Inclusive energy spectra have been measured for light charged particles emitted in the bombardment of ²³²Th, ¹⁸¹Ta, ^natTi and ¹²C targets by ²²Ne ions at 178 MeV and ^natTi by ²⁰Ne ions at 196 MeV. The reaction products were analysed and detected by means of a ΔE ? E telescope placed in the focal plane of a magnetic spectrometer located at an angle of 0° with respect to the beam direction. In all the reactions studied light charged particles with an energy close to the respective calculated kinematic limit for a two-body exit channel are produced with relatively great probability. The results obtained make it possible to draw some conclusions about the reaction mechanism involving the emission of light charged particles.     

E2 transition probabilities in77Br

⁷⁷Br has been investigated by the reaction⁶⁴Ni(¹⁶O,p2nγ) at 60 MeV. The following mean lives (in parentheses) have been determined by the recoil distance Doppler shift method (energies in keV): 161.9 (718±50 ps), 575.2 (14.2±2.1 ps), 639.0 (14.1±0.8 ps), 782.0 (4.3±0.9 ps), 790.1 (6.2±0.8 ps), 1,273.2 (4.0±1.0 ps), 1,303.0 (4.0±1 ps), 1,480.8 (0.6 ±0.2 ps). The resultingB(E2) values are compared with rotor plus particle calculations. Nuclear reaction⁶⁴Ni(¹⁶O,p2nγ)E ₀=60 MeV; measuredE _γ, recoil distance Doppler shift; deducedT _1/2. Enriched target, Ge(Li).     

Electroexcitation of isovector magnetic dipole and quadrupole transitions in 18O and their relation to radiative pion capture

In a high-resolution ¹⁸O(e, e′) experiment sharp states at E_X=16.38±0.01 MeV (J^π=2^?, ground state analogue of and at E_X=18.86±0.01 MeV (J^π=1⁺) and clustering of strength (possibly with J^π=1^?, 2^?) at E_X≈23.7 MeV have been observed and compared to theoretical predictions. The transition strengths for the narrow states are B(M2) ↑ = 58± 8 μ_K² fm² and B(M1) ↑ = 0.28± 0.04 μ_K², respectively. These results agree qualitatively with the resu lts from the analogous ¹⁸O(π^?, γ)¹⁸N reaction.     

Measurements and Hauser-Feshbach analysis of the10B(16O,6Li)20Ne reaction

States in²⁰Ne were populated by the¹⁰B(¹⁶O,⁶Li) reaction, and levels were observed up to 11 MeV in excitation energy. Cross sections were measured at 7° (lab) for bombarding energies from 44.4 to 46 MeV in 400 keV intervals. The reaction appears to be predominantly due to compound nucleus formation, and good agreement was found between the measured cross sections and Hauser-Feshbach calculations, assuming the known spin values of²⁰Ne.     

Nonstatistical structures in the excitation functions of20Ne(16O,12C)24Mg and20Ne(16O,20Ne)16O reactions

The data on the excitation functions of²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,¹²C)²⁴Mg,²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,¹²C)²⁴Mg^*(1.37, 2⁺),²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,¹²C)²⁴Mg^*(4.12, 4⁺+4.24, 2⁺) +²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,¹²C^*(4.44, 2⁺))²⁴Mg,²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,¹²C)²⁴Mg^*(6.01, 4⁺+6.43, 0⁺),²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,²⁰Ne)¹⁶O,²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,²⁰Ne^*(1.63, 2⁺))¹⁶O, and²⁰Ne(¹⁶O,²⁰Ne^*(4.25, 4⁺))¹⁶O reactions atθ _lab=13° fromE _c.m.=22.8 to 38.6 MeV have been subjected to a statistical analysis comprising of the calculations of the distribution of cross sections, deviation functions, cross-correlation functions, summed excitation functions, cross-channel correlation coefficients and coherence widths. The analysis confirms the existence of nonstatistical structures atE _c.m.=24.6, 27.8, 31.7 and 35.5 MeV, and identifies a new structure of the same nature atE _c.m. =25.6 MeV.     

Cross sections for 6Li production in the reactions 10B + 16O and 12C + 14N at low energies

Absolute cross sections have been measured for the reactions ¹⁰B(¹⁶O, ⁶Li)²⁰Ne and ¹²C(¹⁴N, ⁶Li)²⁰Ne at several energies in the range E_c.m. = 7.5–16.2 MeV, and 13.8–16.6 MeV, respectively. The predictions of Hauser-Feshbach calculations show generally good agreement with the experimental data without parameter variation. The consequences of an angular momentum cutoff in the entrance channel and in the compound nucleus are discussed.