Coincidence Doppler shift lifetime measurements in 73,74Se and 74Br using the EUROBALL Cluster cube array

Subpicosecond lifetimes of high spin states in the rotational nuclei ⁷³Se, ⁷⁴Se and ⁷⁴Br have been measured using the ⁵⁸Ni +¹⁹F compound reaction and the Doppler Shift Attenuation method. Six EUROBALL Cluster detectors arranged in cube geometry allowed us to select the relevant transitions in γγ coincidence mode. The high counting statistics achieved in this setup also facilitated the determination of average sidefeeding times, which were found to agree rather well with the results of Monte-Carlo calculations of the particle and γ-ray evaporation process. The deduced quadrupole strengths and deformations are compared with the results of previous measurements and the predictions of Cranked Shell Model calculations. In ⁷⁴Br, a large and constant prolate deformation of β₂= 0.37(1) was found for the presumed 4⁺ and 3⁻ two-quasiparticle bands. Received: 2 July 1999     

A simple model for doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei

Nuclear structure of doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei with mass A ∼ 130 is investigated within the framework of a simple model where the even-even core couples with a neutron and a proton in intruder orbitals through a quadrupole-quadrupole interaction. The model reproduces quite well the energy levels of doublet bands and electromagnetic transitions. The staggering of the ratios B(M1;I → I - 1)/B(E2;I → I - 2) of the yrast bands turns out to be described by the chopsticks-like motion of two angular momenta of the unpaired neutron and the unpaired proton when they are weakly coupled with the core.-1 An erratum to this article is available at .     

High-spin structure of the neutron-rich odd-odd 106, 108 45Rh and 110, 112 47Ag isotopes

The ^{106, 108}Rh and ^{110, 112}Ag nuclei have been produced as fission fragments following the fusion reaction ²⁸Si + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 145 MeV bombarding energy and studied with the Eurogam2 array. The yrast high-spin states of these four odd-odd nuclei, which are observed for the first time, consist of rotational bands in which the odd proton occupies the πg _9/2 subshell and the odd neutron the νh _11/2 subshell. Their behaviour as a function of spin values does not vary with the number of neutrons: as observed in the odd-N neighbouring nuclei, the motion of the odd neutron remains decoupled from the motion of the core, from N = 61 to N = 65. Moreover, the staggering observed in the yrast bands of odd-odd isotopes is strongly reduced as compared to the large values displayed by the rotational bands built on the πg _9/2 subshell in the odd-A Rh and Ag isotopes. The results of particle-rotor calculations indicate that this reduction is related to a change of the core deformation. Received: 1 June 2001 / Accepted: 23 July 2002 / Published online: 10 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: NAC, Faure, ZA 7131, South Africa. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: Department of Nuclear Physics, ANU, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Evidence for a proton halo in 27P through measurements of reaction cross-sections at intermediate energies

Measurements of reaction cross-sections ( σ_R's) for some proton-rich nuclei ( N = 11–15 isotones) on carbon target at intermediate energies have been performed on RIBLL of HIRFL. A larger enhancement of the σ_R for ²⁷P has been observed than for its neighboring nuclei. A large difference between the proton and neutron density distributions (proton halo) is necessary to explain the enhanced cross-section for ²⁷P within the framework of the Glauber model. Density distributions with HO-type core plus Yukawa-square tail and rms radii for ²⁷P have been deduced from the measured σ_R data for the first time, which conform the long tail in its densities as predicted by RMF calculations. Received: 23 May 2001 / Accepted: 7 November 2001     

Magnetic moment measurements in the semi-magic nuclei 94Ru and 95Rh after recoil implantation into iron and nickel

The magnetic moments of the 12⁺ and 11⁻ yrast states in ⁹⁴Ru and of the 25/2⁻, 29/2⁺, and 35/2⁺ levels in ⁹⁵Rh have been measured via the IMPAD technique. The nuclei were produced in the reaction ⁵⁸Ni +⁴⁰Ca and recoil-implanted into polarized Ni and Fe hosts. The g-factors were deduced from the measured time-integral Larmor precessions. The comparison between the experimental results and large-scale shell model calculations suggests that the 12⁺ and 11⁻ states in ⁹⁴Ru and the 25/2⁻ level in ⁹⁵Rh are pure proton states whereas the 29/2⁺ and 35/2⁺ states in ⁹⁵Rh contain a neutron excitation across the N=50 shell gap. This interpretation supports the conclusion drawn from recent lifetime measurements. Received: 2 June 1999     

Neutron halos in hypernuclei

Properties of single- Λ and double- Λ hypernuclei for even-N Ca isotopes ranging from the proton dripline to the neutron dripline are studied using the relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov theory with a zero-range pairing interaction. Compared with ordinary nuclei, the addition of one or two Λ-hyperons lowers the Fermi level. The predicted neutron dripline nuclei are, respectively, ⁷⁵ _ΛCa and ⁷⁶ _2ΛCa, as the additional attractive force provided by the Λ-N interaction shifts nuclei from outside to inside the dripline. Therefore, the last bound hypernuclei have two more neutrons than the corresponding ordinary nuclei. Based on the analysis of two-neutron separation energies, neutron single-particle energy levels, the contribution of continuum and nucleon density distribution, giant halo phenomena due to the pairing correlation, and the contribution from the continuum are suggested to exist in Ca hypernuclei similar to those that appear in ordinary Ca isotopes. Received: 21 October 2002 / Accepted: 11 January 2003 / Published online: 8 April 2003     

Searches for gamma-quanta from local sources by a wide-angle imaging telescope

Summary A new Cherenkov imaging telescope SHALON equipped with a very high-definition camera (144 pixels, imaging 7.2⁰×7.2⁰) takes data since 1993 at a mountain altitude of 3338 m. We discuss some results of the observations of the indicated gamma-ray sources and the discrimination methods between gamma-rays and protons. Selection of showers produced by gamma-quanta from a background of showers produced by protons has been made according to the following criteria: 1) alpha<20⁰; 2) length/width>1.6 for γ; 3) Cherenkov light intensity in pixels with max light to the light in the light pixels near around is >0.2 for γ and <0.6 for p; 4) Cherenkov light intensity in pixels with max light to all light in imaging excluding in centre is >0.8 for γ and <0.8 for p; 5) distance for γ is <3.5 pixels.I _Crab=(0.95±0.18)·10⁻¹² cm⁻²c⁻¹.I _Mark421=(0.98±0.36)·10⁻¹² cm⁻²c⁻¹. Paper presented at the Special Session on ground-based gamma-ray astronomy of the XXIV International Cosmic-Ray Conference, Rome, August 28–September 8, 1995.     

Application of a quadrupole-coupling model to doublet bands in doubly-odd nuclei

A simple model is applied to the yrast and yrare states based on the νh _11/2 ⊗ πh _11/2 configuration in the doubly-odd nuclei around the mass 130. In the model, the basis state is constructed by one neutron and one proton both in the 0h _11/2 orbital, and by the collective core which couples with the two particles through a quadrupole interaction. The model reproduces quite well the overall energy levels and the electromagnetic transitions. The analysis of the yrast and yrare states reveals that the angular-momentum configuration of the neutron and the proton in the yrast states is different from that in the yrare states, when the two particles are weakly coupled with the quadrupole collective excitations of the core. The strong even-odd staggering of the ratios B(M1;I → I - 1)/B(E2;I → I - 2) for the yrast states is described by the chopsticks-like motion of two angular momenta of the neutron and the proton.     

Monte Carlo calculations of angular momentum projected many-body matrix elements in the Pairing Plus Quadrupole Model

We extend the recently presented formalism for Monte Carlo calculations of the partition function, for both even and odd particle number systems (Phys. Rev. C 59, 2500 (1999)), to the calculation of many-body matrix elements of the type <ψ| e ^{- βℋ}|ψ> where |ψ> is a many-body state with a definite angular momentum, parity, neutron and proton numbers. For large β such matrix elements are dominated by the lowest eigenstate of the many-body Hamiltonian ℋ, corresponding with a given angular momentum parity and particle number. Emphasis is placed on odd-mass nuclei. Negligible sign fluctuations in the Monte Carlo calculation are found provided the neutron and proton chemical potentials are properly adjusted. The formalism is applied to the J ^π = 0⁺ state in ¹⁶⁶ Er and to the J ^π = 9/2^-, 13/2⁺, 5/2^- states in ¹⁶⁵ Er using the pairing-plus-quadrupole model. Received: 28 April 2000 / Accepted: 20 September 2000     

Proton magic even-even isotopes and giant halos of Ca isotopes with relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov theory

We study the proton magic O, Ca, Ni, Zr, Sn, and Pb isotope chains from the proton drip line to the neutron drip line with the relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov (RCHB) theory. Particulary, we study in detail the properties of even-even Ca isotopes due to the appearance of giant halos in neutron rich Ca nuclei near the neutron drip line. The RCHB theory is able to reproduce the experimental binding energiesE _b and two neutron separation energiesS _2n very well. The predicted neutron drip line nuclei are²⁸O,⁷²Ca,⁹⁸Ni,¹³⁶Zr,¹⁷⁶Sn, and²⁶⁶Pb. Halo and giant halo properties predicted in Ca isotopes withA>60 are investigated in detail through analysis of two neutron separation energies, nucleon density distributions, single particle energy levels, and the occupation probabilities of energy levels including continuum states. The spin-orbit splitting and the diffuseness of nuclear potential in these Ca isotopes, as well as the neighboring lighter isotopes in the drip line Ca region and find certain possibilities of giant halo nuclei in the Ne−Na−Mg drip line nuclei are also studied.     

Favoured superdeformed states in 89Tc

A superdeformed band consisting of a cascade of ten γ-ray transitions has been identified and assigned to the nucleus ⁸⁹Tc, close to the proton dripline. The quadrupole moment of the band (Q _t= 6.7^+3.0 _−2.3 eb, as measured by the Residual Doppler Shift Method) as well as a large dynamic moment of inertia point to a highly elongated shape. With a relative population of approximately 15% of the γ-ray flux in the ⁸⁹Tc exit channel, the band is among the most intense superdeformed bands observed to date. Received: 6 July 1999     

A re-examination of fermi's hyperfine contact interaction

Summary The hyperfine coupling between spin of electrons ins states and nuclear spin is generally represented by a contact Hamiltonian in which a δ(r) factor appears. Utilizing relativistic equations and considering pointlike nuclei, we show that the δ(r) factor must be replaced by a steeply decreasing radial function of half-maximum width δr=5.8·10⁻¹⁴Z cm. For hydrogen, the correction with respect to the contact Hamiltonian turns out to be small, but for high-Z nuclei this correction acquires substantial importance. For iron 1s states, it rises up to 9.6%.     

Single-particle quadrupole electromagnetic transitions in p-shell and sd-shell nuclei

Electron scattering Coulomb form factors for the single-particle quadrupole transitions in p-shell and sd-shell nuclei have been studied. Core polarization effects are included through a microscopic theory that includes excitations from the core orbits up to higher orbits with 2ω excitations. The modified surface delta interaction is adopted as a residual interaction. The results are discussed for the ( 1p _1/2 ^-1↦1p _3/2 ^-1) proton transition in ¹⁵N, ( 1d _5/2↦2s _1/2) neutron transition in ¹⁷O and ( 1d _3/2 ^-1↦2s _1/2 ^-1) proton transition in ³⁹K. The inclusion of core polarization effects modifies the form factors markedly and describes the experimental data very well in both the absolute strength and the momentum transfer dependence. Received: 18 April 2002 / Accepted: 1 July 2002 / Published online: 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: baguniv@uruklink.net Communicated by A. Molinari     

New rotational bands in 174Ta

Three new bands in ¹⁷⁴Ta have been identified by using the ¹⁶⁰Gd(¹⁹F,5n) reaction at beam energies of 87 MeV and 96 MeV. Nilsson configurations are assigned to these bands. In the 9/2⁻[514]_p+5/2⁻[512]_n band, the AB neutron crossing occurs at a rotational frequency of 0.30 MeV. This is indicative of the disappearance of the evidence for a reduction in neutron pair correlations. Received: 30 March 1998     

Fission lifetimes of Th nuclei measured by crystal blocking

Crystal blocking lifetime measurements have been made for highly excited Th nuclei with neutron number well removed from the stability line. Thin W crystals were bombarded with ³²S ions in the energy range 170-180 MeV and the yield of fission fragments was measured for emission close to a 〈111〉 axis. The fission blocking dips are compared to the appropriately scaled ones for elastic scattering of the ³²S beam ions and no significant difference is seen between the dips. This implies that the fraction of nuclei fissioning with lifetimes longer than 10 as is less than 2%. Fission lifetimes are increased by viscosity in the nuclear mass flow and comparison with a statistical model calculation indicates that the viscosity parameter, η, must be lower than for Th and U nuclei near β-stability. The effect of the N = 126 magic number is discussed. Received: 2 October 2002 / Accepted: 16 January 2003 / Published online: 29 April 2003     

β-decay half-lives of very neutron-rich isotopes of elements from Ti to Ni

The unknown β-decay half-lives of 22 isotopes far off stability (5 < T _Z < 10) in the region from Ti to Ni were measured at GSI, Darmstadt. The nuclei were produced in a fragmentation reaction of 500 A.MeV ⁸⁶Kr-projectile impinging on a thick Be target. The isotopes of interest were separated and identified with the fragment separator, FRS, by a combination of Bρ,Z, and ToF techniques. An additional range separation was performed by a selective implantation into granular detectors. The spatial and time correlations of the implant with the consecutively detected β-particles were used to determine the unknown half-lives. For nuclei far off stability, β-decay chains were measured and analyzed as well, leading to an even more reliable evaluation of the lifetimes. The large discrepancies found between the measured and the theoretical values emphasize that most recent theoretical work is not an improvement over calculations made almost a decade ago. Received: 1 October 1997     

Beta decay of the proton-rich nuclei 102Sn and 104Sn

The β decays of ¹⁰²Sn and ¹⁰⁴Sn were studied by using high-resolution germanium detectors as well as a Total Absorption Spectrometer (TAS). For ¹⁰⁴Sn, with three new β-delayed γ-rays identified, the total Gamow-Teller strength (B_GT) value of 2.7(3) was obtained. For ¹⁰²Sn, the γ-γ coincidence data were collected for the first time, allowing us to considerably extend the decay scheme. This scheme was used to unfold the TAS data and to deduce a B_GT value of 4.2(8) for this decay. This result is compared to shell model predictions, yielding a hindrance factor of 3.6(7) in agreement with those obtained previously for ⁹⁸Cd and ¹⁰⁰In. Together with the latter two, ¹⁰²Sn completes the triplet of Z ⩽ 50, N ≥ 50 nuclei with two proton holes, one proton hole and one neutron particle, and two neutron particles with respect to the doubly magic ¹⁰⁰Sn core.     

High-spin states in odd-odd 168Lu

High-spin states in the odd-odd ¹⁶⁸Lu nucleus, populated in the ¹⁵⁴Sm(¹⁹F,5n) reaction at a beam energy of 96 MeV, were investigated using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy techniques. The BC neutron crossing in the yrast band, based on πg _7/2[404]7/2⁺⊗νi _13/2[642]5/2⁺ configuration, occurs at ħω= 0.31 MeV. The two side bands, based on πh _11/2[514]9/2⁻⊗νi _13/2[642]5/2⁺ and πh _9/2[541]1/2⁻⊗νi _13/2[642]5/2⁺ configurations, show anomalous signature-splitting and signature-inversion in the first one, to occur at ħω= 0.24 MeV. A moderately delayed BC-crossing is anticipated in the second one. Received: 15 June 1998 / Revised version: 11 January 1999     

β-delayed proton decays near the proton drip line

We briefly reviewed the experimental study on β-delayed proton decays near the proton drip line published by our group during the period of 1996–2004, namely the first observation of the β-delayed proton decays of 9 new nuclides in the rare-earth region and the new measurements of β-delayed proton decays of 5 nuclides in the mass ∼90 region near theN=Z line with the aid of the “p-y” coincidence in combination with a He-jet tape transport system. In the meantime some important experimental technique details were supplemented. The experimental results, including the half-lives, spins, parities, deformations and production reaction cross sections for the 14 nuclei were summarized and compared with the current nuclear-model predictions, and then the following points were represented. (1) The experimental half-lives for⁸⁵Mo and⁹²Rh as well as the predicted “waiting point” nuclei⁸⁹Ru and⁹³Pd are 5–10 times longer than the theoretical predictions given by M?ller et al. using a macroscopic-microscopic model. It considerably influences the predictions of the abundances of the nuclides produced in the rp-process. (2) The current-model predictions are not consistent with the experimental assignments of the spins and parities for the proton drip-line nuclei¹⁴²Ho and¹²⁸Pm. However, the nuclear potential energy surface (PES) calculated by using a Woods-Saxon-Strutinsky method reproduced the experimental results. (3) The Alice code overestimated the production reaction cross sections of the studied 9 rare-earth nuclei by one order of magnitude or two, while HIVAP code overestimated them by one order of magnitude approximately.     

Potential and limitations of nucleon transfer experiments with radioactive beams at REX-ISOLDE

As a tool for studying the structure of nuclei far off stability the technique of γ-ray spectroscopy after low-energy single-nucleon transfer reactions with radioactive nuclear beams in inverse kinematics was investigated. Modules of the MINIBALL germanium array and a thin position-sensitive parallel plate avalanche counter (PPAC) to be employed in future experiments at REX-ISOLDE were used in a test experiment performed with a stable ³⁶S beam on deuteron and ⁹Be targets. It is demonstrated that the Doppler broadening of γ lines detected by the MINIBALL modules is considerably reduced by exploiting their segmentation, and that for beam intensities up to 10⁶ particles/s the PPAC positioned around zero degrees with respect to the beam axis allows not only to significantly reduce the γ background by requiring coincidences with the transfer products but also to control the beam and its intensity by single particle counting. The predicted large neutron pickup cross-sections of neutron-rich light nuclei on ²H and ⁹Be targets at REX-ISOLDE energies of 2.2 MeV ^. A are confirmed. Received: 9 October 2000 / Accepted: 28 January 2001