Briz, J. A., Nacher, E., Borge, M. J. G., Algora, A., Rubio, B., Dessagne, P., et al. (2015). Shape study of the N = Z nucleus Kr-72 via beta decay. Phys. Rev. C, 92(5), 054326–10pp.
Abstract: The beta decay of the N = Z nucleus Kr-72 has been studied with the total absorption spectroscopy technique at ISOLDE (CERN). A total B(GT) = 0.79(4)g(A)(2)/4 pi has been found up to an excitation energy of 2.7 MeV. The B(GT) distribution obtained is compared with predictions from state-of-the-art theoretical calculations to learn about the ground state deformation of Kr-72. Although a dominant oblate deformation is suggested by direct comparison with quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) calculations, beyond-mean-field and shell-model calculations favor a large oblate-prolate mixing in the ground state.
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Fujita, Y., Rubio, B., Adachi, T., Blank, B., Fujita, H., Gelletly, W., et al. (2015). Gamow-Teller excitations studied by weak and strong interactions. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 46(3), 657–668.
Abstract: Studying weak nuclear responses, especially the Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions starting from stable as well as unstable nuclei, provide crucial and critical information on nuclear structure. Therefore, the study of GT transitions is a key issue in nuclear physics and also nuclear-astrophysics. Under the assumption of isospin symmetry, it is expected that the structure of mirror nuclei and the GT transitions starting from their ground states are identical. We have studied the corresponding GT transitions starting from T-z = +/- 1 and +/- 2 p f -shell nuclei, respectively, by means of hadronic (He-3,t) charge-exchange reactions and mirror beta decays. The results on GT strength distributions measured in beta decays and (He-3,t) reactions performed at an intermediate incident energy of 140 MeV/nucleon and 0 degrees are compared. The combined results help provide an understanding of nuclear structure of nuclei far-from-stability.
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Fujita, Y., Rubio, B., Molina, F., Adachi, T., Fujita, H., Blank, B., et al. (2016). The Tz = ±1 → 0 and ±2 →±1 Mirror Gamow–Teller transitions in pf-shell nuclei. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 47(3), 867–881.
Abstract: Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions are the most common weak-interaction processes in the Universe. They play important roles in various processes of nucleosynthesis, for example, in the rapid proton-capture process (rp-process). In the pf-shell region, the rp-process runs through neutron-deficient nuclei with T-z = -2, -1, and 0 mainly by means of GT and Fermi transitions, where T-z is the z component of isospin T defined by T-z = (N = Z)/2. Under the assumption of isospin symmetry, mirror nuclei with reversed Z and N numbers, and thus with opposite signs of T-z, have the same structure. Therefore, symmetry is also expected for the GT transitions starting from and ending up in mirror nuclei. We have been studying the T-z = -2 -> -1 and -1 -> 0 GT transitions in beta decays, while those from stable T-z = +2 and +1 nuclei by means of hadronic (He-3; t) charge-exchange (CE) reactions. The results from these studies are compared in order to examine the mirror-symmetry structure in nuclei. In addition, these results are combined for the better understanding of GT transitions in the pf-shell region.
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Rubio, B., Gelletly, W., Algora, A., Nacher, E., & Tain, J. L. (2017). Beta decay studies with total absorption spectroscopy and the Lucrecia spectrometer at ISOLDE. J. Phys. G, 44(8), 084004–25pp.
Abstract: Here we present the experimental activities carried out at ISOLDE with the total absorption spectrometer Lucrecia, a large 4 pi scintillator detector designed to absorb a full gamma cascade following beta decay. This spectrometer is designed to measure beta-feeding to excited states without the systematic error called Pandemonium. The set up allows the measurement of decays of very short half life. Experimental results from several campaigns, that focus on the determination of the shapes of beta-decaying nuclei by measuring their beta decay strength distributions as a function of excitation energy in the daughter nucleus, are presented.
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Kucuk, L. et al, Orrigo, S. E. A., Montaner-Piza, A., Rubio, B., Gelletly, W., Algora, A., et al. (2017). Half-life determination of T-z =-1 and T-z =-1/2 proton-rich nuclei and the beta decay of Zn-58. Eur. Phys. J. A, 53(6), 134–10pp.
Abstract: We have measured the beta-decay half-lives of 16 neutron-deficient nuclei with T-z = -1/2 and -1, ranging from chromium to germanium. They were produced in an experiment carried out at GANIL and optimized for the production of Zn-58, for which in addition we present the decay scheme and absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths. Since all of these nuclei lie on the rp-process pathway, the T-1/2 values are important ingredients for the rp-process reaction flow calculations and for models of X-ray bursters.
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Algora, A., Tain, J. L., Rubio, B., Fallot, M., & Gelletly, W. (2021). Beta-decay studies for applied and basic nuclear physics. Eur. Phys. J. A, 57(3), 85–28pp.
Abstract: In this reviewwe will present the results of recent beta-decay studies using the total absorption technique that cover topics of interest for applications, nuclear structure and astrophysics. The decays studied were selected primarily because they have a large impact on the prediction of (a) the decay heat in reactors, important for the safety of present and future reactors and (b) the reactor electron anti-neutrino spectrum, of interest for particle/nuclear physics and reactor monitoring. For these studies the total absorption technique was chosen, since it is the only method that allows one to obtain beta-decay probabilities free from a systematic error called the Pandemonium effect. The total absorption technique is based on the detection of the. cascades that follow the initial beta decay. For this reason the technique requires the use of calorimeters with very high. detection efficiency. The measurements presented and discussed here were performed mainly at the IGISOL facility of the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland) using isotopically pure beams provided by the JYFLTRAP Penning trap. Examples are presented to show that the results of our measurements on selected nuclei have had a large impact on predictions of both the decay heat and the anti-neutrino spectrum from reactors. Some of the cases involve beta-delayed neutron emission thus one can study the competition between gamma – and neutron-emission from states above the neutron separation energy. The gamma-to-neutron emission ratios can be used to constrain neutron capture (n, gamma) cross sections for unstable nuclei of interest in astrophysics. The information obtained from the measurements can also be used to test nuclear model predictions of half-lives and Pn values for decays of interest in astrophysical network calculations. These comparisons also provide insights into aspects of nuclear structure in particular regions of the nuclear chart.
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Guadilla, V., Algora, A., Estienne, M., Fallot, M., Gelletly, W., Porta, A., et al. (2024). First measurements with a new fl-electron detector for spectral shape studies. J. Instrum., 19(2), P02027–21pp.
Abstract: The shape of the electron spectrum emitted in /3 decay carries a wealth of information about nuclear structure and fundamental physics. In spite of that, few dedicated measurements have been made of /3 -spectrum shapes. In this work we present a newly developed detector for /3 electrons based on a telescope concept. A thick plastic scintillator is employed in coincidence with a thin silicon detector. The first measurements employing this detector have been carried out with mono -energetic electrons from the high-energy resolution electron -beam spectrometer at Bordeaux. Here we report on the good reproduction of the experimental spectra of mono -energetic electrons using Monte Carlo simulations. This is a crucial step for future experiments, where a detailed Monte Carlo characterization of the detector is needed to determine the shape of the /3 -electron spectra by deconvolution of the measured spectra with the response function of the detector. A chamber to contain two telescope assemblies has been designed for future /3 -decay experiments at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On -Line facility in Jyvaskyla, aimed at improving our understanding of reactor antineutrino spectra.
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Orrigo, S. E. A. et al, Rubio, B., Gelletly, W., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., & Molina, F. (2016). beta decay of the exotic T-z =-2 nuclei Fe-48, Ni-52, and Zn-56. Phys. Rev. C, 93(4), 044336–18pp.
Abstract: The results of a study of the beta decays of three proton-rich nuclei with T-z = -2, namely Fe-48, Ni-52, and Zn-56, produced in an experiment carried out at GANIL, are reported. In all three cases we have extracted the half-lives and the total beta-delayed proton emission branching ratios. We have measured the individual beta-delayed protons and beta-delayed. rays and the branching ratios of the corresponding levels. Decay schemes have been determined for the three nuclei, and new energy levels are identified in the daughter nuclei. Competition between beta-delayed protons and. rays is observed in the de-excitation of the T = 2 isobaric analog states in all three cases. Absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths have been determined. The mass excesses of the nuclei under study have been deduced. In addition, we discuss in detail the data analysis taking as a test case Zn-56, where the exotic beta-delayed gamma-proton decay has been observed.
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Orrigo, S. E. A. et al, Rubio, B., Gelletly, W., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., & Molina, F. (2016). Observation of the 2(+) isomer in Co-52. Phys. Rev. C, 94(4), 044315–8pp.
Abstract: We report the first observation of the 2(+) isomer in Co-52, produced in the beta decay of the 0(+), Ni-52 ground state. We have observed three. rays at 849, 1910, and 5185 keV characterizing the beta de-excitation of the isomer. We have measured a half-life of 102(6) ms for the isomeric state. The Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths for the beta decay of Co-52m to Fe-52 have been determined. We also add new information on the beta decay of the 6(+), Co-52 ground state, for which we have measured a half-life of 112(3) ms.
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Pragati, Deo, A. Y., Podolyak, Z., Walker, P. M., Algora, A., Rubio, B., et al. (2016). Decay of the N=126, Fr-213 nucleus. Phys. Rev. C, 94(6), 064316–8pp.
Abstract: gamma rays following the EC/beta(+) and alpha decay of the N = 126, Fr-213 nucleus have been observed at the CERN isotope separator on-line (ISOLDE) facility with the help of gamma-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy. These gamma rays establish several hitherto unknown excited states in Rn-213. Also, five new a-decay branches from the Fr-213 ground state have been discovered. Shell model calculations have been performed to understand the newly observed states in Rn-213.
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