Helium burning of22Ne

The²²Ne(α, γ)²⁶Mg and²²Ne(α, n)²⁵Mg reactions were investigated forE _α(lab) from 0.71 to 2.25 MeV. Neon gas enriched to 99% in²²Ne was recirculated in a differentially pumped gas target system of the extended type. Theγ-ray transitions were observed with Ge(Li) detectors and the neutrons with³He ionization chambers. A previously known resonance at E_R(lab)=2.05 MeV was verified and 15 new resonances were found in the energy range covered, with the lowest at E_R(lab)=0.83 MeV. Information on resonance energies, widths, strengths,γ-ray branching ratios, as well asJ ^π assignments, is reported. The energy range investigated corresponds to the important temperature range ofT ₉ from 0.3 to 1.4 (10⁹ K), for which the astrophysical rates were determined for both reactions. The results show that the ratios of the rates for²²Ne(α, n)²⁵Mg and²²Ne(α, γ)²⁶Mg are significantly smaller than the previously adopted values, e.g., by at least a factor of 60 nearT ₉=0.65. Thus, the²²Ne(α, n)²⁵Mg reaction will likely play a smaller role as a neutron source fors-process nucleosynthesis, than has frequently been assumed.     

Giant resonance decays in 20Ne, 22Ne and interference effects with quasifree scattering processes

The charged particle (c) decay from excited states up to the giant quadrupole resonance (GQR) in ²⁰Ne has been studied in a kinematically complete ²⁰Ne(α, α′ c) coincident experiment at E_α = 155 MeV. Angular correlation functions and branching ratios are extracted for the α₀, α₁ and p₀ decay channels. The (α, α′ α₀) angular correlation functions are analysed in PWBA in terms of coherent interference with the quasifree scattering process leading to the same final states. Good fits to the data are achieved over a large range of excitation energies. Branching ratios have been extracted and compared to results of Hauser-Feshbach calculations. Above E_x = 12.5 MeV excitation energy a discrepancy was found between the experimentally observed α₀ branching ratios and the HF predictions. These results yield evidence for a direct α₀ decay mechanism of the split isoscalar giant quadrupole resonance in ²⁰Ne. Some results are presented also for a ²²Ne(α, α′ c) coincidence experiment. Qualitative comparison has been made between the general decay behaviour of the two Ne isotopes.     

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.     

On the mechanism of the reactions24,25,26Mg(n,α)21,22,23Ne at neutron energies near 14 MeV

Differential cross sections of the reactions²⁴Mg(n,α)²¹Ne,²⁵Mg(n,α)²²Ne, and²⁶Mg(n,α)²³Ne have been measured at neutron energies of 13.19,13.93 and 14.33 MeV, at 13.93 and 14.33 MeV, and at 13.47 and 13.93 MeV, respectively. In forward direction, differential excitation functions of those reactions have been measured at energies between 12.67 and 16.05 MeV. The results are analysed in terms of direct-reaction and compound-nucleus theories.     

The lifetime of the 5.14 MeV state in22Ne

Using the delayed coincidence method and the reaction¹⁹F(α, pγ)²²Ne at 10.80 MeV alpha energy, the lifetime of the 5.14 MeV state in²²Ne is determined to beτ=0.84 nsec±10%.     

Untersuchungen zur Struktur des Kerns23Ne

Low-lying states of²³Ne up to about 3 MeV excitation energy have been investigated by studying the reactions²²Ne(d, p)²³Ne (E _d =4–6 MeV) and²³Na(n, p γ)²³Ne(E _n=8–9 MeV). From the (d, p) data,l-values and spectroscopic factors for the transferred neutron have been extracted by DWBA analyses. From the (n, p γ) data,γ-ray branchings and possible spin assignments have been derived. The results are used to discuss the applicability of the Nilsson model and the excited core model to the nucleus²³Ne.     

Spin and parity assignments for 23Na levels from the 19F(α, p)22Ne reaction

Resonances were found in the 120° and 160° excitation functions for the ¹⁹F(α, p_o)²²Ne reaction between E = 2.5 and 5.0 MeV corresponding to ²³Na levels at excitation energies between 12.56 and 14.51 MeV. Twenty-one on-resonance angular distributions were analysed with single-level and two-level theory to extract ²³Na spin and parity information. The results of an earlier experiment were analysed by the same procedure, extending the diagnostics down to a ²³Na excitation energy of 11.55 MeV. The analysis incorporated an optical potential for the α-particle consistent with previous channel-spin-$\text{1}\text{2}$ reaction studies and α-induced reaction data.     

Z1 and Z2 variations in the stopping powers of Z1=10 to 18 ions deduced from Dsam lifetime measurements

From lifetime measurements of the ²²Ne(3.26 MeV), ¹³P(2.23 MeV) levels and published data, deviations from theory of the stopping powers for Ne and other ions in many materials have been deduced; they correlate strongly with electron densities deduced from positron lifetimes. The data also indicate that Z₁ deviations for s-d shell nuclei are Z₂ dependent.     

The16O(α, γ)20Ne direct capture reaction at low energies

The¹⁶O(α, γ)²⁰Ne direct capture cross section has been calculated in a microscopically founded cluster model which reproduces simultaneously both the correct binding energies and the deformations of the²⁰Ne bound states. Theα+¹⁶O scattering states are derived from a microscopically derived local potential. The astrophysicalS-factor is found to increase linearly with energy in the energy rangeE _cm≈0.4–2 MeV and might therefore be determinable experimentally.     

Structure of neutron-rich s-d shell nuclei

States in neutron-rich s-d shell nuclei were populated in the reaction of a ¹⁴C beam at E _lab=22 MeV on a ¹⁴C target. Coincidences between γ rays and either other γ rays or light charged particles were measured. γ rays in coincidence with protons established levels at 66.8, 1730, 1823, and 2219 keV in ²⁷Na. The states are compared with calculations based on the s-d shell model and the cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky model. A number of levels in ²⁴Ne were observed in both α-γ and α-γ-γ coincidences and are compared with shell-model calculations.     

Nuclear levels in43Sc at low excitation energies

Properties of levels up to 3.5 MeV in⁴³Sc were studied using⁴⁰Ca (α, p)⁴³Sc and⁴⁰Ca(α, pγ)⁴³Sc reactions atE _α =12 MeV. Level energies, branching ratios, mean lifetimes, spins and mixing ratios were obtained for a number of levels. Relevant results are compared with many-particle shell-model predictions.     

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.     

Resonant absorption of the γ-radiation from the22Ne(p, γ)23Na reaction and the effect of rutherford scattering in the target on the width of the absorption curves

Gamma rays of energy 9.404 and 9.700 MeV were obtained from the reaction²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na at proton energies of 640 and 950 keV respectively and were resonantly absorbed in sodium metal. Isotopically separated²²Ne targets on nickel backings were used. The following level widths for²³Na were obtained: The 9.404 MeV level: Γ=65 ±40eV Γ_γ=2.2±0.7eV. The 9.700 MeV level: Γ=9.5 _?1.0 ^{+4.5 eV} Γ_γ=5.6 _?0.8 ^{+1.2 eV} . The disagreement between the results for the 9.404 MeV level and the previously determined values can probably be ascribed to proton scattering in the window of the gas target used in the latter measurement.     

Proton-induced direct capture on 21Ne and 22Ne

The direct capture process in the reactions ²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na and ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na has been investigated at E_p = 0.3–1.6 MeV using neon gas enriched to 91 % in ²¹Ne and to 99 % in ²²Ne, respectively. The gas was recirculated in a differentially pumped gas target system of the extended-static and quasi-point supersonic jet type. For ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na, the direct capture process has been observed to several final states in ²³Na up to E_x = 8.83 MeV excitation energy. The deduced spectroscopic factors C²S are in fair agreement with the corresponding values from stripping reactions. The capture transition into the ²³Na ground state exhibits broad structures, which resemble Ericson fluctuations. The data remove the previously reported discrepancies in C²S for the ²³Na ground state. The excitation functions for the ²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na reaction are dominated by broad and intense resonances, which hampered the measurement of the direct capture process. The nuclear and astrophysical aspects of the results are discussed.     

Alpha-cluster states in <Superscript>18</Superscript>O

The excitation function of elastic α-particle scattering on ¹⁴C has been measured in the laboratory energy range 16.3–19.2 MeV using a backscattering technique with a thick target. These data were analyzed together with the old low-energy data of G.L. Morgan et al. in the framework of the R-matrix formalism. Spin-parity assignments were made for 32 states in ¹⁸O in the excitation range 9–20 MeV. The estimates of the widths of the states are also presented. The 0⁺ and 0^?α-cluster bands appeared to be well separated by 5.6 MeV (as in ¹⁶O and ²⁰Ne). We have not found a confirmation of existence of the negative-parity molecular states proposed by M. Gai et al. We observed an effect of a doubling of α-cluster levels in ¹⁸O similar to that found in ²²Ne.     

Resonance strengths,branching ratios and mean lifetimes of nuclear energy levels in23Na

The gamma decay of the²²Ne(p, y)²³Na resonances in the proton energy rangeE _p=1.0→2.0 MeV has been investigated with a 20cm³ Ge(Li) detector. Implanted targets were used. The absolute strengths of the strongest resonances were determined and the branching ratios of twenty resonance levels and several bound states are reported. Mean lifetimes of the levels atE _x=2.078 MeV (18.7±3.5 fs), 2.393 MeV (580 _?190 ⁺³⁷⁰ fs), 2.641 MeV (88 _?14 ⁺²⁰ fs), 2.985 MeV (4.0 _?1.0 ^+1.3 fs), 3.679 MeV (24 _?4 ⁺⁵ fs), 3.915 MeV (7.4 _?2.0 ^+2.5 fs) and 4.775 MeV (<2.0 fs) were obtained from measurements of the gamma ray Doppler shifts.     

Radiative decays of unbound levels in 20Ne

Nine levels in the range 8.7 to 12.5 MeV in ²⁰Ne have been investigated with the ¹⁶O(α, γ)²⁰Ne and ¹⁶O(α, α')¹⁶O¹(6.13 MeV) reactions using a differentially pumped windowless gas target. Three of the levels have not been observed previously in these reactions, and new information has been obtained for most of the others. In particular, the 11.27 MeV 1^? level is shown to have T = 1, a result of relevance to a proposed parity violation experiment, and the analogue of the 1.97 MeV (3^?T = 1) level in ²⁰F is shown to lie at 12.25 MeV in ²⁰Ne rather than at 12.39 MeV as proposed previously. In addition, the 12.25 MeV level has a width Γ < 1 keV, in contrast to the value Γ ～ 5 keV reported in other work. The electromagnetic transition rates for positive parity T = 1 states in ²⁰Ne are compared with shell-model calculations.     

Main channels of the decay of the giant dipole resonance in the 20,22Ne nuclei and isospin splitting of the giant dipole resonance in the 22Ne nucleus

Data published in the literature on various photonuclear reactions for the ^20,22Ne isotopes and for their natural mixture are analyzed with the aim of exploring special features of the decay of giant-dipole-resonance states in these two isotopes. With the aid of data on the abundances of the isotopes and on the energy reaction thresholds, the cross sections for the reactions ^20,22Ne[(γ, n)+(γ, np)] and ^20,22Ne[(γ, p)+(γ, np)] are broken down into the contributions from the one-nucleon reactions (γ, n) and (γ, p) and the contributions from the reactions (γ, np). The cross sections for the reactions ^20,22Ne(γ, n)^19,21Ne and ^20,22Ne(γ, p)^19,21F in the energy range E _γ=16.0–28.0 MeV and the cross sections for the reactions ^20,22Ne(γ, np)^18,20F in the energy range E _γ=23.3–28.0 MeV are estimated. The behavior of the cross-section ratio r=σ(γ, p)/σ(γ, n) for the ²²Ne nucleus as a function of energy is analyzed, and the isospin components of the giant dipole resonance in the ²²Ne nucleus are identified. The contributions of the isospin components of the giant dipole resonance in the ²²Ne nucleus to the cross sections for various photonuclear reactions are determined on the basis of an analysis of the diagram of the excitation and decay of pure isospin states in the ²²Ne nucleus and in nuclei neighboring it, which are members of the corresponding isospin multiplets. The isospin splitting of the giant dipole resonance and the ratio of the intensities of the isospin components are determined to be ΔE=4.57±0.69 MeV and R=0.24±0.04, respectively.     

A comparative spectroscopic investigation of21Ne and21F by pickup reactions

The reactions²²Ne(d, t)²¹Ne and²²Ne(d, τ)²¹F have been investigated in a parallel experiment atE _d=52MeV. Energy spectra of tritons andτ particles have been measured up to excitation energies of 18MeV in both²¹Ne and²¹F nuclei. Thel values could be determined, and spectroscopic factors have been obtained by a DWBA analysis of the measured angular distributions. Together with the results from a preceding \({}^{22}Ne(\vec d, \tau ){}^{21}F\) experiment, several spins could be determined in²¹F. From a comparison of the triton andτ particle spectra,T=3/2 states in²¹Ne could be identified and on this basis the new information on spins of²¹F states could be transferred to their analog states in²¹Ne. The completeT _< andT _> parts of the (2s, 1d) strengths could be observed. The 1p strength is highly fragmented. Of theT _< part only 60% of the 1p1/2 and 40% of the lp3/2 strength could be found, but the totalT _> part of the 1p strength could be localized. The spectroscopic results for positive parity states are in qualitatively good agreement with shell model predictions.     

Spectroscopy of 32P

Particle-gamma angular correlations have been measured with the ²⁹Si(α,pγ)³²P reaction at bombarding energies E_α = 10.65, 10.69 and 11.00 MeV. Together with DSA lifetime measurements these experiments lead to seven unambiguous spin assignments to levels below 3.5 MeV excitation energy in ³²P. In addition, the measured mixing ratios and branching ratios yield many dipole and quadrupole transition strengths. The previously known 3.44 MeV level is a doublet with components at 3 443.0±0.6 and 3 444.0±0.9 keV.