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Lorusso, G. et al, & Montaner-Piza, A. (2015). beta-Decay Half-Lives of 110 Neutron-Rich Nuclei across the N=82 Shell Gap: Implications for the Mechanism and Universality of the Astrophysical r Process. Phys. Rev. Lett., 114(19), 192501–7pp.
Abstract: The beta-decay half-lives of 110 neutron-rich isotopes of the elements from 37 Rb to 50 Sn were measured at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. The 40 new half-lives follow robust systematics and highlight the persistence of shell effects. The new data have direct implications for r-process calculations and reinforce the notion that the second (A approximate to 130) and the rare-earth-element (A approximate to 160) abundance peaks may result from the freeze-out of an (n, gamma) reversible arrow (gamma, n) equilibrium. In such an equilibrium, the new half-lives are important factors determining the abundance of rare-earth elements, and allow for a more reliable discussion of the r process universality. It is anticipated that universality may not extend to the elements Sn, Sb, I, and Cs, making the detection of these elements in metal-poor stars of the utmost importance to determine the exact conditions of individual r-process events.
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Liddick, S. N., Spyrou, A., Crider, B. P., Naqvi, F., Larsen, A. C., Guttormsen, M., et al. (2016). Experimental Neutron Capture Rate Constraint Far from Stability. Phys. Rev. Lett., 116(24), 242502–6pp.
Abstract: Nuclear reactions where an exotic nucleus captures a neutron are critical for a wide variety of applications, from energy production and national security, to astrophysical processes, and nucleosynthesis. Neutron capture rates are well constrained near stable isotopes where experimental data are available; however, moving far from the valley of stability, uncertainties grow by orders of magnitude. This is due to the complete lack of experimental constraints, as the direct measurement of a neutron-capture reaction on a short-lived nucleus is extremely challenging. Here, we report on the first experimental extraction of a neutron capture reaction rate on Ni-69, a nucleus that is five neutrons away from the last stable isotope of Ni. The implications of this measurement on nucleosynthesis around mass 70 are discussed, and the impact of similar future measurements on the understanding of the origin of the heavy elements in the cosmos is presented.
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LHCb Collaboration, Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2018). Observation of a New Xi(-)(b) Resonance. Phys. Rev. Lett., 121(7), 072002–12pp.
Abstract: From samples of pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at root s = 7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1.0, 2.0 and 1.5 fb(-1), respectively, a peak in both the Lambda(0)(b) K- and Xi(0)(b)pi(-) invariant mass spectra is observed. In the quark model, radially and orbitally excited Xi(-)(b) resonances with quark content bds are expected. Referring to this peak as Xi(b)(6227)(-), the mass and natural width are measured to be m(Xi b(6227))(-) = 6226.9 +/- 2.0 +/- 0.3 +/- 0.2 MeV/c(2) and Gamma(Xi b(6227))- = 18.1 +/- 5.4 +/- 1.8 MeV/c(2), where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third, on m(Xi b(6227))(-), is due to the knowledge of the Lambda(0)(b) baryon mass. Relative production rates of the Xi(b)(6227)(-) -> Lambda K-0(b)- and Xi(b)(6227)(-) -> Xi(0)(b)pi(-) decays are also reported.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Oyanguren, A., & Ruiz Valls, P. (2013). First Observation of CP Violation in the Decays of B-s(0) Mesons. Phys. Rev. Lett., 110(22), 221601–9pp.
Abstract: Using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb(-1) and collected by LHCb in 2011 at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, we report the measurement of direct CP violation in B-s(0) -> K-pi(+) decays, A(CP) (B-s(0) -> K-pi(+)) = 0.27 +/- 0.04(stat) +/- 0.01(syst), with significance exceeding 5 standard deviations. This is the first observation of CP violation in the decays of B-s(0) mesons. Furthermore, we provide an improved determination of direct CP violation in B-0 -> K+pi(-) decays, A(CP)(B-0 -> K+pi(-) ) = -0.080 +/- 0.007(stat) +/- 0.003(syst), which is the most precise measurement of this quantity to date.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Oyanguren, A., & Ruiz Valls, P. (2013). Determination of the X(3872) Meson Quantum Numbers. Phys. Rev. Lett., 110(22), 222001–8pp.
Abstract: The quantum numbers of the X(3872) meson are determined to be J(PC) = 1(++) based on angular correlations in B+ -> X(3872)K+ decays, where X(3872) -> pi(+) pi(-) j/psi and J/psi -> pi(+) mu(-). The data correspond to 1.0 fb(-1) of pp collisions collected by the LHCb detector. The only alternative assignment allowed by previous measurements J(PC) = 2(-+) is rejected with a confidence level equivalent to more than 8 Gaussian standard deviations using a likelihood-ratio test in the full angular phase space. This result favors exotic explanations of the X(3872) state.
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