Decay of heavy and superheavy nuclei

We present here, an overview and progress of the theoretical works on the isomeric state α decay, α decay fine structure of even–even, even–odd, odd–even and odd–odd nuclei, a study on the feasibility of observing α decay chains from the isotopes of the superheavy nuclei Z = 115 in the range 271 ≤A ≤ 294 and the isotopes of Z = 117 in the range 270 ≤A ≤ 301, within the Coulomb and proximity potential model for deformed nuclei (CPPMDN). The computed half-lives of the favoured and unfavoured α decay of nuclei in the range 67 ≤Z ≤ 91 from both the ground state and isomeric state, are in good agreement with the experimental data and the standard deviation of half-life is found to be 0.44. From the α fine structure studies done on various ranges of nuclei, it is evident that, for nearly all the transitions, the theoretical values show good match with the experimental values. This reveals that CPPMDN is successful in explaining the fine structure of even–even, even–odd, odd–even and odd–odd nuclei. Our studies on the α decay of the superheavy nuclei ^271?294115 and ^270?301117 predict 4 α chains consistently from ^284,285,286115 nuclei and 5α chains and 3α chains consistently from ^288?291117 and ²⁹²117, respectively. We thus hope that these studies on ^284?286115 and ^288?292117 will be a guide to future experiments.     

Analysis of experimental data on nuclear masses within Wigner spin-isospin <Emphasis Type="Italic">SU</Emphasis>(4) symmetry

The problem of the realization of Wigner spin-isospin SU(4) symmetry in nuclei is analyzed on the basis of available experimental data on nuclide masses in the mass-number range 1 ≤ A ≤ 257. Empirical expressions are obtained for the universal functions in the Wigner mass formula. The experimental values of the energy of spin-orbit interaction are determined for the aforementioned nuclides. An alternative mechanism of the origin of the odd-even effect in nuclei having an even mass number associated with a specific property of the Casimir operator is proposed. The results obtained in this study suggest that SU(4) symmetry is broken predominantly by spin-orbit interaction.     

Estimating the occupation probabilities of single-particle orbits in nuclei

Occupation probabilities of neutron and proton single-particle orbits are estimated for a number of spherical and close to spherical nuclei with 20 ≤ Z ≤ 50 and 20 ≤ N ≤ 82 near the Fermi energy. The estimates are made according to the formula of the BCS theory with single-particle energies calculated using the mean-field model with dispersive optical potential. The closeness of the occupation probabilities to 0 and 1 is demonstrated for nuclei with traditional and new magic numbers.     

Clusters decay half-live of various heavy deformed nuclei with mass numbers in the range 221 ≤ A ≤ 242

Decay half-live of several clusters between ¹⁴C and ³⁴Si emitted from various heavy deformed nuclei with mass numbers in the range 221 ≤ A ≤ 242 are calculated using nuclear Woods-Saxon (V_N(r, θ)), Coulomb (V_C(r, θ)) and rotational (V_l(r)) potentials considering deformation for both daughter and cluster and spherical configuration for them. Half-live of these decays are also obtained using a semi-empirical formula. Obtained results considering deformation are compared with the half-live of spherical configuration, results of a semi-empirical formula as well as the available experimental data. The comparison indicates that the calculated half-lives considering deformation are better agreed with the experimental data than the results of spherical configuration and the out put of semi-empirical formula. Also, The obtained results using deformation is better confirmed the Geiger-Nuttall low of alpha decay, especially for emission of light clusters as expected.     

Excitation of states of medium-mass nuclei in the region of giant resonances in inelastic deuteron scattering

Results are presented that were obtained by measuring a continuum in the inelastic scattering of 37-MeV deuterons on ¹²C, ⁴⁸Ti, and ^58,64Ni nuclei in the angular range 16° ≤ θ ≤ 61°. Broad excitation maxima are found for deuteron scattering angles in the range θ ≤ 21°. The region of a broad maximum includes giant resonances of target nuclei, whose levels are excited quite readily at E _d = 37 MeV. Summation of the inelastic-scattering cross sections over all final states of the excited| nucleus and the use of completeness of the wave functions for these states make it possible to express the total cross section for inelastic (incoherent) deuteron scattering only in terms of the wave functions for the ground state of the target nucleus. The corresponding quasielastic-scattering amplitude is taken in the diffraction approximation. Nucleon correlations in the target nucleus are disregarded. Upon disregarding a small contribution of multiple quasielastic scattering at small scattering angles, the cross section for incoherent deuteron scattering is represented approximately as the product of known factors—the square of the absolute value of the amplitude for diffractive quasielastic scattering and the effective number of target nucleons scattering deuterons. The results of these calculations agree qualitatively with experimental data.     

Calculation of single-particle energies of bound nucleon states in nuclei with 40 ≤ <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis> ≤ 208 using global parameters of dispersive optical model potential

Single-particle energies of bound neutron and proton states in nuclei with mass numbers 40 ≤ A ≤ 208 are calculated within the dispersive optical model with different sets of global parameters. The results of the calculation are compared with the experimental data and the predictions of the relativistic mean-field model.     

An angle-dependent potential and alpha-decay half-lives ofdeformed nuclei for 67≤Z≤91

The half-lives of deformed nuclei are reported for 67≤Z≤91. We consider an angle-dependent potential which yields multiple approximations. The results are in better agreement with the experimental data when the multiple approximation is solely considered for the daughter nuclei.     

Level density and radiative strength functions from (n th,2γ) reactions and basic properties of the 96Mo nucleus

Published data on the intensities of two-step cascades to 12 final-state levels of the ⁹⁶Mo nucleus are approximated by using a set of possible random dependences of the level density and radiative strength functions for primary E1 and M1 transitions. The average values of these parameters of gamma decay for any excitation energies and for gamma transitions agree well with basic dependences revealed to date from similar experiments for 42 nuclei in the mass-number range 40 ≤ A ≤ 200, but they are inconsistent with the generally accepted ideas of the parameters of the cascade gamma decay of compound states of nuclei having high level densities.     

Binding energies and radii of α-cluster-type nuclei from calculations based on the strictly restricted dynamics model

The properties of α-cluster-type nuclei with 4≤A≤80 are studied by employing the microscopic strictly restricted dynamics model (SRDM). The SRDM parameter set found via a fit to the experimental and theoretical values of nuclear binding and excited-level energies, classified according to the ground-state SU ₃ configurations, includes a nuclear-radius parameter r ₀ entering into the expression R=r ₀ A ^1/3 [fm], as well as the parameters of the effective central NN-interaction potential. The use of the microscopic SRDM allows one to obtain additional information about nuclei along the Z=N line, including binding energies, radii, and spectra of low-lying levels. The calculated nuclear binding energies and nuclear root-mean-square radii 〈r ²〉^1/2 are in reasonable agreement with their experimental counterparts.     

Atomic short-range order in Fe1−xCrx alloys studied by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy

The room temperature Mössbauer spectra of ⁵⁷Fe were measured for iron-based solid solutions Fe_1?xCr_x with x in the range of 0.01≤x≤0.10. Analysis of the obtained spectra gave clear evidence that the distribution of impurity atoms in the first coordination spheres of ⁵⁷Fe nuclei is not homogeneous and it cannot be described in terms of binomial distribution. Quantitatively, the effects were described in terms of the short-range order parameters.     

Relating structure and flow of soft colloids

To relate the complex macroscopic flow of soft colloids to details of its microscopic equilibrium and non-equilibrium structure is still one big challenge in soft matter science. We investigated several well-defined colloidal model systems like star polymers or diblock copolymer micelles by linear/non-linear rheology, static/dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). In addition, in-situ SANS experiments during shear (Rheo-SANS) revealed directly shear induced structural changes on a microscopic level. Varying the molecular architecture of the individual colloidal particle as well as particle-particle interactions and covering at the same time a broad concentration range from the very dilute to highly concentrated, glassy regime, we could separate contributions from intra- and inter-particle softness. Both can be precisely “tuned” by varying systematically the functionality, 6 ≤ f≤ 64, for star polymers or aggregation number, 30 ≤ N _agg ≤ 1000 for diblock copolymer micelles, as well as the degree of polymerization of the individual polymer arm 100 ≤ D _p ≤ 3000. In dilute solutions, the characteristic shear rate at which deformation of the soft colloid is observed can be related to the Zimm time of the polymeric corona. In concentrated solutions, we validated a generalized Stokes-Einstein approach to describe the increase in macroscopic viscosity and mesoscopic self diffusion coefficient on approaching the glassy regime. Both can be explained in terms of an ultra-soft interaction potential. Moreover, non-equilibrium structure factors are obtained by Rheo-SANS. All experimental results are in excellent quantitative agreement with recent theoretical predictions.     

Energies of Gamov-Teller and analog resonances of heavy and superheavy nuclei in a quasiclassical approach

A new expression for the energy of the giant Gamov-Teller resonance is presented, based on approximate solutions to the equation of a finite Fermi system using a quasiclassical approach. The calculated differences in the energies of Gamov-Teller and analogous resonance ΔE _G-A are in good agreement with the experimental data. The average deviation is 0.30 MeV for the 33 considered nuclei. The ΔE _G-A values were calculated for heavy and superheavy nuclei up to mass number A = 300.     

Structure functions of nuclei for all x and Q 2

We propose a modified version of the quark cluster model to describe the structure functions of nuclei over the complete kinematical region of the variables x = Q ²/2m _N ν and Q ². The model accounts for shadowing effects at very small x and anti-shadowing in the region 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3. The experimental observation that the ratio of structure functions F ₂ ^A /F ₂ ^D is less than unity in the region x ? 0.5 is related to the influence of multiquark clusters. The model agrees with all available data on nuclear structure fuctions for a large variety of nuclei, and can be used to make predictions for kinematical regions not yet studied experimentally.     

Magic numbers of ultraheavy nuclei

For nuclei where the number of protons lies in the range 76 ≤ Z ≤ 400, proton and neutron shell corrections are calculated along the beta-stability line described by Green’s formula. The magic numbers of protons and neutrons are determined for ultraheavy nuclei. Alpha-decay half-lives and fission barriers are estimated for ultraheavy doubly magic nuclei.     

Galvanomagnetic and thermoelectric properties of multicomponent n-type solid solutions based on Bi and Sb chalcogenides

The galvanomagnetic and thermoelectric properties of n-Bi_2-x Sb_xTe_3-y-z Se_yS_z multicomponent solid solutions with atomic substitutions (Sb → Bi; Se, S → Te) are studied. The principal components of the effective mass tensor (m ₁, m ₂, m ₃) for the isotropic mechanism of charge carrier scattering are determined within a many-valley model of the energy spectrum for compositions 0.08 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 and 0.06 ≤ y = z ≤ 0.15. The effect of a variation in the parameters of the constant-energy surface on the thermoelectric efficiency is analyzed for different compositions and carrier concentrations in solid solutions.     

Cluster decay of <Superscript>112−122</Superscript>Ba isotopes from ground state and as an excited compound system

The decay properties of various even–even isotopes of barium in the range 112 ≤A ≤ 122 is studied by modifying the Coulomb and proximity potential model for both the ground and excited state decays, using recent mass tables. Most of the values predicted for ground state decays are within the experimental limit for measurements (T_1/2 < 10³⁰ s). The minimum T_1/2 value refers to doubly magic or nearly doubly magic Sn (Z= 50) as the daughter nuclei. A comparison of log ₁₀(T_1/2) value reveals that the exotic cluster decay process slows down due to the presence of excess neutrons in the parent nuclei. The half-lives are also computed using the Universal formula for cluster decay (UNIV) of Poenaru et al and the Universal decay law (UDL) of Qi et al, and are compared with CPPM values and found to be in good agreement. A comparison of half-life for ground and excited systems reveals that probability of decay increases with a rise in temperature or otherwise, inclusion of excitation energy decreases the T_1/2 values.     

Partial level density of n-quasiparticle excitations, radiative strength functions and new experimental information on the dynamics of nuclear structure change in the B n range

The most reliable at present values of the level density in the fixed spin window and the sums of radiative strength functions of cascade gamma transitions are obtained from analysis of intensities of two-step cascades excited upon thermal neutron capture for approximately 40 nuclei in the mass range 40 ≤ A ≤ 200. The maximal reliability of these data is provided by the experimental conditions—minimum possible propagation error coefficients and practically unique solution of the problem of determination of gamma decay parameters from measured spectra. The experimental data are approximated by the sum of partial level densities corresponding to excitation of n quasiparticles. Steplike structures in the level density at excitation energies smaller than 3–4 MeV are described with good accuracy as the superposition of two-quasiparticle (three-quasiparticle in odd A nuclei) and vibrational excitations with the coefficient of collective density enhancement K _coll ≈ 10?20. They correspond to excitation-energy-correlated maximum enhancement of the radiative strength functions of primary gamma transitions. The level density at larger excitation energies is well reproduced if the breakup of at least two more Cooper pairs of nucleons is taken into account. The increase in the number of excited quasiparticles in the nucleus corresponds to unconditional reduction of the radiative strength functions of primary gamma transitions of the compound state decay. However, the maximum possible value of partial widths of primary transitions increases regularly with decreasing energy. Some ambiguity in the results of approximation and divergence from existing theoretical ideas of the energy dependence of nucleon correlation functions in an excited nucleus point to the possibility of direct extraction from experiment of fundamentally new information on the structure of excited nuclear levels in the range of the neutron binding energy. These are, first of all, the parameters of dependence of nucleon correlation functions on the excitation energy of the nucleus.     

Inclusive deuteron production in <Superscript>16</Superscript>O<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> collisions at a momentum of 3.25 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> per nucleon

Experimental data on inclusive deuteron production in ¹⁶Op collisions at high energies were obtained for the first time under conditions of 4π geometry. An irregularity in the momentum spectrum of deuterons in the rest frame of oxygen nuclei is found in the range 0.40 ≤ p ≤ 0.55 GeV/c, and the reasons for its appearance are discussed. The mean multiplicities of secondary fragments are correlated with the presence of deuterons in an event, these correlations being positive for fragments of charge in the range z _f ≤ 4 and negative for fragments of charge in the range 5 ≤ z _f ≤ 7. This is likely to be due to baryon-charge conservation.     

Spatially modulated magnetic structure of AgFeO2: Mössbauer study on 57Fe nuclei

The results of the Mössbauer study of ferrite AgFeO₂ manifesting multiferroic properties (at T ≤ T _N2) have been presented. The hyperfine interaction parameters of ⁵⁷Fe nuclei have been analyzed in a wide temperature range including the points of two magnetic phase transitions (T _N2 ≈ 7–9 K and T _N1 ≈ 15–16 K). It has been shown that the Mössbauer spectra of the ⁵⁷Fe nuclei are sensitive to the variations of the character of the magnetic ordering of Fe³⁺ ions in the studied ferrite. The results of the model identification of a series of spectra (4.7 K ≤ T ≤ T _N2) under the assumption of the cycloid magnetic structure of ferrite AgFeO₂ have been presented. The analysis of the results has been performed in comparison with the literature data for other oxide multiferroics.