Extreme \alpha -clustering in the 18O nucleus

The structure of the ¹⁸O nucleus at excitation energies above the $ \alpha$ decay threshold was studied using ¹⁴C + $ \alpha$ resonance elastic scattering. A number of states with large $ \alpha$ reduced widths have been observed, indicating that the $ \alpha$ -cluster degree of freedom plays an important role in this N $ \ne$ Z nucleus. A 0⁺ state with an $ \alpha$ reduced width exceeding the single-particle limit was identified at an excitation energy of 9.9±0.3 MeV. We discuss evidence that states of this kind are common in light nuclei and give possible explanations of this feature.     

Determination of the Dalitz plot parameter \alpha for the decay \eta → 3 \pi^{0}_{} with the Crystal Ball at MAMI-B

A precise measurement of the Dalitz plot parameter, $ \alpha$ , for the $ \eta$ → 3 $ \pi^{0}_{}$ decay is presented. The experiment was performed with the Crystal Ball and TAPS large-acceptance photon detectors at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI-B electron accelerator in Mainz. High statistics of 1.8 · 10⁶ $ \eta$ → 3 $ \pi^{0}_{}$ events were obtained, giving the result $ \alpha$ = - 0.032±0.002_stat±0.002_syst .     

Quasi-elastic backscattering of 6,7Li on light, medium and heavy targets at near- and sub-barrier energies

High-spin states in the nucleus ⁷²Ge were investigated via the ⁷⁰Zn( $ \alpha$ , 2n)⁷²Ge reaction at a beam energy of 30MeV, using the AFRODITE spectrometer. One aim of the study was to search for tetrahedral states. There was no evidence for such states in our coincidence data. The existing decay scheme was substantially revised and extended. Several $ \gamma$ -ray placements and level spin-parities were changed, and some 30 new transitions were added to the level scheme. One new negative-parity rotational band was identified. The new band is likely the unfavoured signature partner of the band built on the previously known $\ensuremath I^{\pi}=3^{-}$ state at 2515keV. The two negative-parity bands are interpreted as involving an aligned octupole vibration which evolves to a four-quasiparticle structure at higher spins. The upbend in the yrast band is interpreted as the AB neutron alignment. The band structures are discussed with reference to Cranked Shell Model calculations, the aligned angular momenta, experimental routhians, and moments of inertia.     

The analysis of predictability of \alpha -decay half-life formulae and the \alpha partial half-lives of some exotic nuclei

The predictabilities of the three $ \alpha$ -decay half-life formulae, the Royer GLDM, the Viola-Seaborg and the Sobiczewski-Parkhomenko formulae, have been evaluated by developing a method based on the ansatz of standard experimental benchmarking. The coefficients of each formula were re-derived using the reliable data of the $ \alpha$ -standards nuclei. The modified formulae that resulted were used to evaluate the accuracies of the formulae towards the prediction of half-lives of a set of nuclides with well-studied $ \alpha$ spectroscopic data as well as a set of exotic $ \alpha$ emitters. Further, a simple linear optimisation of the modified formulae allowed adjustments for the insufficient statistics of the primary data set without changing the modified formulae. While the three modified formulae showed equivalent results for all the medium heavy nuclei except the odd-odd, the modified GLDM showed relatively the best figures of merit for the odd-odd and superheavy nuclides.     

Determination of α-decay branching ratios for 178, 179Hg

The neutron-deficient nuclides ^{182, 183}Pb were produced at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyv?skyl? by bombarding a ¹⁰⁷Ag target with ⁷⁸Kr ions. The nuclei of interest were separated using the RITU gas-filled separator and their radioactive decays investigated using the GREAT spectrometer. Correlating the $ \alpha$ decays of these Pb isotopes with those of their respective Hg daughters allowed $ \alpha$ -decay branching ratios of $\ensuremath b_\alpha($ ^178Hg) = 89(4)% and $\ensuremath b_\alpha($ ^179Hg) = 75(4)% to be deduced.     

Spin-alignment and g-factor measurement of the I^{\pi} = 12+ isomer in 192Pb produced in the relativistic-energy fragmentation of a 238U beam

Reactions of a 16.8 MeV ⁶He beam with a ⁹Be target have been investigated using highly segmented detector setup covering a large solid angle. Data on elastic and quasi-free scattering, as well as two-neutron transfer, are reported. The results for elastic scattering are fairly well reproduced by a CDCC calculation, in agreement with the interpretation of a breakup effect already observed for the scattering of ⁶He on other light targets. Exotic quasi-free scattering of ⁶He on $ \alpha$ -cluster in ⁹Be is clearly observed. Inclusive and coincident events were used to extract information on the two-neutron transfer reaction ⁹Be(⁶He, $ \alpha$ )¹¹Be . Sequential decay of the ¹¹Be state at the excitation energy $\ensuremath E_x = 10.6$ MeV through different channels is discussed.     

Measurement of photo-fission yields and photo-neutron cross-sections in 209Bi with 50 and 65 MeV bremsstrahlung

The photo-fission yields and photo-neutron cross-sections of ( $ \gamma$ , 3n) and ( $ \gamma$ , 4n) on ²⁰⁹Bi induced by 50 and 65MeV bremsstrahlung have been measured by using a recoil catcher and an off-line $ \gamma$ -ray spectrometric technique. The mass-yield distribution of fission products in ²⁰⁹Bi induced by bremsstrahlung photons from the present work and literature data in the energy range 28-85MeV is symmetric around 103 mass units. However, the full width at half maximum of the yields distribution increases from 19 mass units at 28-40MeV to 23 mass units at 85MeV. The ( $ \gamma$ , 3n) reaction cross-section in the 50MeV and the ( $ \gamma$ , 4n) reaction cross-section in the 50 and 65MeV bremsstrahlung-induced reaction of ²⁰⁹Bi were determined for the first time.     

Charmonium rescattering effects in \psi(2S) \rightarrow \gamma \eta_{c}^{} decay

Charmonium rescattering effects in the M1 transition of $ \psi$ (2S) $ \rightarrow$ $ \gamma$ $ \eta_{c}^{}$ are investigated by modeling a $ \chi_{{cJ}}^{}$ or J/ $ \psi$ rescattering into a $ \eta_{c}^{}$ final state. The absorptive and dispersive part of the transition amplitudes for the rescattering loops of $ \eta$ $ \psi$ ( $ \gamma^{{\ast}}_{}$ ) and $ \gamma$ $ \chi$ ( $ \psi$ ) are separately evaluated. The numerical results show that the contribution from the $ \gamma$ $ \chi$ ( $ \psi$ ) rescattering process is negligible. Compared with the virtual D $ \bar{{D}}$ (D ^*) rescattering processes, the $ \eta$ $ \psi$ ( $ \gamma^{{\ast}}_{}$ ) process may be regarded as the next-leading order of the hadronic loop mechanism, which only offers the partial decay width of ～ 0.045 keV to the $ \psi$ (2S) $ \rightarrow$ $ \gamma$ $ \eta_{c}^{}$ .     

Highly excited alpha-cluster states in 34S

The elastic-scattering reaction ³⁰Si + $ \alpha$ was studied using the Thick Target Inverse Kinematics technique. Data were taken at a ³⁰Si beam energy of 150MeV in a reaction chamber filled with ⁴He gas, corresponding to the excitation region of 12-24MeV in ³⁴S . The data were treated in the framework of a simplified R -matrix approach, and energies, widths and spin assignments were obtained for 111 resonances in an approximative manner. The structure is discussed within the concept of $ \alpha$ -cluster structure in the quasi-continuum of ³⁴S and is compared to recent data for ³²S .     

Nuclear physics with a medium-energy Electron-Ion Collider

Level structures of ¹¹³In have been studied through the fusion-evaporation reaction ¹¹⁰Pd (⁷Li ,4n ¹¹³In at a beam energy of 50MeV. More than 40 new $ \gamma$ transitions have been observed in ¹¹³In . Two new dipole bands are established and one of them is proposed as a magnetic rotation band with the configuration of $\ensuremath \pi g_{9/2}^{-1}\otimes\nu h_{11/2}^{2} g_{7/2}^{2}$ . Self-consistent tilted axis cranking relativistic mean field calculations have been performed to interpret the rotational structure. Several decay paths of the $\ensuremath \pi h_{11/2}$ intruder band have been established, by which the level energies and spins of the $\ensuremath \pi h_{11/2}$ intruder band are determined.     

Measurement of beam-recoil observables Ox , Oz and target asymmetry T for the reaction \gammap → K+ \Lambda

The double polarization (beam-recoil) observables $\ensuremath O_x$ and $\ensuremath O_z$ have been measured for the reaction $ \gamma$ p → K ⁺ $ \Lambda$ from threshold production to $\ensuremath E_{\gamma} \sim 1500$ MeV. The data were obtained with the linearly polarized beam of the GRAAL facility. Values for the target asymmetry T could also be extracted despite the use of an unpolarized target. Analyses of our results by two isobar models tend to confirm the necessity to include new or poorly known resonances in the 1900MeV mass region.     

A new analysis improving the evidence of a narrow peak in the invariant-mass distribution of the \Lambdap system observed in the \bar{{p}} annihilation at rest on 4He

The presence of a narrow peak in the $ \Lambda$ p invariant-mass distribution observed in the $ \bar{{p}}$ annihilation reaction at rest $\ensuremath \bar{p} {}^4\mathrm{He}\rightarrow p\pi^-p\pi^+\pi^-n X$ is discussed again through an analysis procedure which improves the ratio signal/background in comparison with the previous analysis. The peak is centred at 2223.2±3.2_stat±1.2_syst MeV and has a statistical significance of 4.7 $ \sigma$ , values compatible with those published previously. If interpreted as the result of the decay into $ \Lambda$ p of a $\ensuremath { }_{\bar{K}}{}^2\mathrm{H}$ bound system, the corresponding binding energy should be B = - 151.0±3.2_stat±1.2_syst MeV and the width $ \Gamma_{{FWHM}}^{}$ < 33.9±6.2 MeV. The production rate has a lower limit of 1.2 10^-4. Data on the $ \bar{{p}}$ annihilation reaction at rest $ \bar{{p}}$ ⁴He $ \rightarrow$ p $ \pi^{-}_{}$ p $ \pi^{-}_{}$ p _s X , analyzed for the first time, lead to a result in qualitative agreement with the previous one.     

Studies of neutron-deficient mendelevium isotopes at SHIP

The radioactive decay of the isotopes ²⁴⁷Md , ²⁴⁶Md and their daughter products was investigated by means of $ \alpha$ - $ \alpha$ and $ \alpha$ - $ \gamma$ coincidence spectroscopy. The isotopes were produced using the fusion reaction ⁴⁰Ar$ + $²⁰⁹Bi. Decay schemes are suggested for ²⁴⁷Md and ²⁴³Es . A new isomeric state in ²⁴⁶Md with a half-life of ( 4.4±0.8 s was observed. Previous data of electron-capture delayed fission of ²⁴⁶Md and ²⁴²Es were confirmed. The probability for this decay branch in ²⁴⁶Md was measured to be P _ECDF > 0.10 . The probability for electron-capture delayed fission in the case of ²⁴²Es was determined to be P _ECDF = 0.013^+0.012 _-0.007 .     

Decay studies of K isomers in 254No

A detailed $ \gamma$ spectroscopic decay study of two K isomers in ²⁵⁴No was performed. In addition to the previously reported $ \gamma$ lines two new transitions of E = 778 , 856keV could be attributed to the decay pattern of ^254m1No ( T _1/2 = 275±7 ms). The population of an excited band built up on this isomer ( $\ensuremath K^{\pi} =8^{-}$ by the decay of ^254m2No ( T _1/2 = 198±13 μs) could be proven by measuring delayed $ \gamma$ - $ \gamma$ coincidences between transitions stemming from the decay of both isomeric states. The energies of the band members could be established up to $\ensuremath I^{\pi} = 15^{-}$ . A spontaneous fission branch of (2.0±1.2)×10^-4 was measured for ^254m1No , an upper limit of $ \le$ 1.2×10^-4 was estimated for ^254m2No . These values demonstrate the high stability of multi-quasiparticle configurations against spontaneous fission. Evidence for an $ \alpha$ decay branch of ^254m1No in the order of 1×10^-4 was found.     

Chiral SU(3) dynamics and the quasibound K – pp cluster

The prototype of a $\bar{K}$ nuclear cluster, K ^???pp, has been investigated using effective $\bar{K}N$ potentials based on chiral SU(3) dynamics. Variational calculation shows a bound state solution with shallow binding energy B(K ^???pp)?=?20±3 MeV and broad mesonic decay width $\Gamma(\bar{K}NN \rightarrow \pi Y N)=40$ –70 MeV. The $\bar{K}N(I=0)$ pair in the K ^???pp system exhibits a similar structure as the Λ(1405). We have also estimated the dispersive correction, p-wave $\bar{K}N$ interaction, and two-nucleon absorption width.     

Reaction pp \rightarrow pp \pi \pi \pi as a background for hadronic decays of the \eta^{{\prime}}_{} meson

Isospin violating hadronic decays of the $ \eta$ and $ \eta{^\prime}$ mesons into 3 $ \pi$ mesons are driven by a term in the QCD Lagrangian proportional to the mass difference of the d and u quarks. The source giving large yield of the mesons for such decay studies are pp interactions close to the respective kinematical thresholds. The most important physics background for $ \eta$ , $ \eta{^\prime}$ $ \rightarrow$ $ \pi$ $ \pi$ $ \pi$ is coming from direct three-pion production reactions. In case of the $ \eta$ meson the background for the decays is relatively low ( $ \approx$ 10% . The purpose of this article is to provide an estimate of the direct pion production background for the $ \eta{^\prime}$ $ \rightarrow$ 3 $ \pi$ decays. Using the inclusive data from the COSY-11 experiment we have extracted the differential cross-section for the pp $ \rightarrow$ pp -multipion production reactions with the invariant mass of the pions equal to the $ \eta{^\prime}$ meson mass and estimated an upper limit for the signal to background ratio for studies of the $ \eta{^\prime}$ $ \rightarrow$ $ \pi^{+}_{}$ $ \pi^{-}_{}$ $ \pi^{0}_{}$ decay.     

Radiative open charm decay of the Y(3940) , Z(3930) , X(4160) resonances

We determine the radiative decay amplitudes for the decay into D^* and $ \bar{{D}}$ $ \gamma$ , or D ^* _s and $ \bar{{D}}_{s}^{}$ $ \gamma$ of some of the charmonium-like states classified as X , Y , Z resonances, plus some other hidden charm states which are dynamically generated from the interaction of vector mesons with charm. The mass distributions as a function of the $ \bar{{D}}$ $ \gamma$ or $ \bar{{D}}_{s}^{}$ $ \gamma$ invariant mass show a peculiar behavior as a consequence of the D ^* $ \bar{{D}}^{*}_{}$ nature of these states. The experimental search of these magnitudes can shed light on the nature of these states.     

High-spin excitations of the odd-odd 88 37Rb51 and 86 35Br51 nuclei: \pip3/2 \nud5/2 and \pif5/2 \nud5/2 residual interactions

The odd-odd ⁸⁸ ₃₇Rb₅₁ and ⁸⁶ ₃₅Br₅₁ nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in the fusion reaction ¹⁸O$ + $²⁰⁸Pb at 85MeV bombarding energy and studied with the Euroball IV array. Their high-spin level schemes have been built from the triple $ \gamma$ -ray coincidence data and $ \gamma$ - $ \gamma$ angular correlations have been analyzed in order to assign spin and parity values to many observed states. The proposed configurations involve proton excitations from three sub-shells located close to the Fermi levels, $ \pi$ p _3/2 , $ \pi$ f _5/2 , and $ \pi$ g _9/2 , the $ \nu$ d _5/2 neutron acting as a spectator. The residual $ \pi$ $ \nu$ interactions are extracted from the multiplets of states resulting from the $ \pi$ p _3/2 $ \nu$ d _5/2 and $ \pi$ f _5/2 $ \nu$ d _5/2 configurations. The empirical values of the latter are discussed and compared to those known in two similar configurations having j _p = j _n with l _p = l _n + 1 , where the role of the tensor force had been highlighted.     

Analysis of the vertexes \Xi_{Q}^{*}′QV , \Sigma_{Q}^{*} \Sigma_{Q}^{}V and radiative decays \Xi_{Q}^{*} \rightarrow ′Q \gamma , \Sigma_{Q}^{*} \rightarrow \Sigma_{Q}^{} \gamma

In this article, we study the vertexes $ \Xi_{Q}^{*}$ ′_Q V and $ \Sigma_{Q}^{*}$ $ \Sigma_{Q}^{}$ V with the light-cone QCD sum rules, then assume the vector meson dominance of the intermediate $ \phi$ (1020) , $ \rho$ (770) and $ \omega$ (782) , and calculate the radiative decays $ \Xi_{Q}^{*}$ $ \rightarrow$ ′_Q $ \gamma$ and $ \Sigma_{Q}^{*}$ $ \rightarrow$ $ \Sigma_{Q}^{}$ $ \gamma$ .