Ong, W. J. et al, & Domingo-Pardo, C. (2017). Low-lying level structure of Cu-56 and its implications for the rp process. Phys. Rev. C, 95(5), 055806–8pp.
Abstract: The low-lying energy levels of proton-rich Cu-56 have been extracted using in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy with the state-of-the-art gamma-ray tracking array GRETINA in conjunction with the S800 spectrograph at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University. Excited states in Cu-56 serve as resonances in the Ni-55(p,gamma)Cu-56 reaction, which is a part of the rp process in type-I x-ray bursts. To resolve existing ambiguities in the reaction Q value, a more localized isobaric multiplet mass equation (IMME) fit is used, resulting in Q = 639 +/- 82 keV. We derive the first experimentally constrained thermonuclear reaction rate for Ni-55(p,.) Cu-56. We find that, with this newrate, the rp processmay bypass the (56)Niwaiting point via the Ni-55(p,gamma) reaction for typical x-ray burst conditions with a branching of up to similar to 40%. We also identify additional nuclear physics uncertainties that need to be addressed before drawing final conclusions about the rp-process reaction flow in the Ni-56 region.
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Sakai, S., Hosaka, A., & Nagahiro, H. (2017). Effect of the final state interaction of eta ' N on the eta ' photoproduction off the nucleon. Phys. Rev. C, 95(4), 045206–9pp.
Abstract: We investigate the eta' photoproduction off the nucleon with a particular interest in the effect of the final-state interaction (FSI) of the eta' meson and nucleon (eta' N) based on the three-flavor linear sigma model. We find an enhancement in the cross section of the eta' photoproduction near the eta' N-threshold energy owing to the eta' N FSI. With the eta' meson at forward angles, the energy dependence near the eta' N threshold is well reproduced with the eta' N FSI. The cross section at backward angles can also be a good probe to investigate the strength of the eta' N interaction.
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Miyahara, K., Hyodo, T., Oka, M., Nieves, J., & Oset, E. (2017). Theoretical study of the Xi(1620) and Xi(1690) resonances in Xi(c)-> pi(+) MB decays. Phys. Rev. C, 95(3), 035212–12pp.
Abstract: Nonleptonic weak decays of Xi(c) into pi(+) and a meson (M)-baryon (B) final state, MB, are analyzed from the viewpoint of probing S = -2 baryon resonances, i.e., Xi(1620) and Xi(1690), of which spin-parity and other properties are not well known. We argue that the weak decay of Xi(c) is dominated by a single quark-line diagram, preferred by the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa coefficient, color recombination factor, the diquark correlation, and the kinematical condition. The decay process has an advantage of being free from meson resonances in the p+ M invariantmass distribution. The invariant mass distribution of the meson-baryon final state is calculated with three different chiral unitary approaches, assuming that the Xi(1620) and Xi(1690) resonances have J(P) = 1/2(-). It is found that a clear peak for the Xi(1690) is seen in the pi Xi and K Lambda spectra. We also suggest that the ratios of the pi Xi, K Lambda, and K Sigma final states are useful to distinguish whether the peak is originated from the Xi(1690) resonance or it is a K Sigma threshold effect.
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PreSPEC and AGATA Collaborations(Ralet, D. et al), Domingo-Pardo, C., Gadea, A., & Huyuk, T. (2017). Lifetime measurement of neutron-rich even-even molybdenum isotopes. Phys. Rev. C, 95(3), 034320–11pp.
Abstract: Background: In the neutron-rich A approximate to 100 mass region, rapid shape changes as a function of nucleon number as well as coexistence of prolate, oblate, and triaxial shapes are predicted by various theoretical models. Lifetime measurements of excited levels in the molybdenum isotopes allow the determination of transitional quadrupole moments, which in turn provides structural information regarding the predicted shape change. Purpose: The present paper reports on the experimental setup, the method that allowed one to measure the lifetimes of excited states in even-even molybdenum isotopes from mass A = 100 up to mass A = 108, and the results that were obtained. Method: The isotopes of interest were populated by secondary knock-out reaction of neutron-rich nuclei separated and identified by the GSI fragment separator at relativistic beam energies and detected by the sensitive PreSPEC-AGATA experimental setup. The latter included the Lund-York-Cologne calorimeter for identification, tracking, and velocity measurement of ejectiles, and AGATA, an array of position sensitive segmented HPGe detectors, used to determine the interaction positions of the gamma ray enabling a precise Doppler correction. The lifetimes were determined with a relativistic version of the Doppler-shift-attenuation method using the systematic shift of the energy after Doppler correction of a gamma-ray transition with a known energy. This relativistic Doppler-shift-attenuation method allowed the determination of mean lifetimes from 2 to 250 ps. Results: Even-even molybdenum isotopes from mass A = 100 to A = 108 were studied. The decays of the low-lying states in the ground-state band were observed. In particular, two mean lifetimes were measured for the first time: tau = 29.7(-9.1)(+11.3) ps for the 4(+) state of Mo-108 and tau = 3.2(-0.7)(+ 0.7) ps for the 6(+) state of Mo-102. Conclusions: The reduced transition strengths B(E2), calculated from lifetimes measured in this experiment, compared to beyond-mean-field calculations, indicate a gradual shape transition in the chain of molybdenum isotopes when going from A = 100 to A = 108 with a maximum reached at N = 64. The transition probabilities decrease for Mo-108 which may be related to its well-pronounced triaxial shape indicated by the calculations.
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n_TOF Collaboration(Mingrone, F. et al), Domingo-Pardo, C., Giubrone, G., & Tain, J. L. (2017). Neutron capture cross section measurement of U-238 at the CERN n_TOF facility in the energy region from 1 eV to 700 keV. Phys. Rev. C, 95(3), 034604–14pp.
Abstract: The aim of this work is to provide a precise and accurate measurement of the U-238(n,gamma) reaction cross section in the energy region from 1 eV to 700 keV. This reaction is of fundamental importance for the design calculations of nuclear reactors, governing the behavior of the reactor core. In particular, fast reactors, which are experiencing a growing interest for their ability to burn radioactive waste, operate in the high energy region of the neutron spectrum. In this energy region most recent evaluations disagree due to inconsistencies in the existing measurements of up to 15%. In addition, the assessment of nuclear data uncertainty performed for innovative reactor systems shows that the uncertainty in the radiative capture cross section of U-238 should be further reduced to 1-3% in the energy region from 20 eV to 25 keV. To this purpose, addressed by the Nuclear Energy Agency as a priority nuclear data need, complementary experiments, one at the GELINA and two at the nTOF facility, were proposed and carried out within the 7th Framework Project ANDES of the European Commission. The results of one of these U-238(n, gamma) measurements performed at the nTOF CERN facility are presented in this work. The gamma-ray cascade following the radiative neutron capture has been detected exploiting a setup of two C6D6 liquid scintillators. Resonance parameters obtained from this work are on average in excellent agreement with the ones reported in evaluated libraries. In the unresolved resonance region, this work yields a cross section in agreement with evaluated libraries up to 80 keV, while for higher energies our results are significantly higher.
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Valencia, E. et al, Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Estevez, E., Jordan, M. D., et al. (2017). Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy of the beta-delayed neutron emitters Br-87, Br-88, and Rb-94. Phys. Rev. C, 95(2), 024320–18pp.
Abstract: We investigate the decay of Br-87,Br-88 and Rb-94 using total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy. These important fission products are beta-delayed neutron emitters. Our data show considerable beta gamma intensity, so far unobserved in high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy, from states at high excitation energy. We also find significant differences with the beta intensity that can be deduced from existing measurements of the beta spectrum. We evaluate the impact of the present data on reactor decay heat using summation calculations. Although the effect is relatively small it helps to reduce the discrepancy between calculations and integral measurements of the photon component for U-235 fission at cooling times in the range 1-100 s. We also use summation calculations to evaluate the impact of present data on reactor antineutrino spectra. We find a significant effect at antineutrino energies in the range of 5 to 9 MeV. In addition, we observe an unexpected strong probability for. emission from neutron unbound states populated in the daughter nucleus. The. branching is compared to Hauser-Feshbach calculations, which allow one to explain the large value for bromine isotopes as due to nuclear structure. However the branching for Rb-94, although much smaller, hints of the need to increase the radiative width gamma by one order of magnitude. This increase in gamma would lead to a similar increase in the calculated (n, gamma) cross section for this very neutron-rich nucleus with a potential impact on r process abundance calculations.
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AGATA Collaboration(Vogt, A. et al), & Gadea, A. (2017). Isomers and high-spin structures in the N=81 isotones Xe-135 and Ba-137. Phys. Rev. C, 95(2), 024316–17pp.
Abstract: The high-spin structures and isomers of the N = 81 isotones Xe-135 and Ba-137 are investigated after multinucleon-transfer (MNT) and fusion-evaporation reactions. Both nuclei are populated (i) in Xe-136+ U-238 and (ii) Xe-136+ Pb-208 MNT reactions employing the high-resolution Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) coupled to the magnetic spectrometer PRISMA, (iii) in the Xe-136+ Pt-198 MNT reaction employing the gamma-ray array GAMMASPHERE in combination with the gas-detector array CHICO, and (iv) via a B-11+ Te-130 fusion-evaporation reaction with the HORUS gamma-ray array at the University of Cologne. The high-spin level schemes of Xe-135 and Ba-137 are considerably extended to higher energies. The 2058-keV (19/2(-)) state in Xe-135 is identified as an isomer, closing a gap in the systematics along the N = 81 isotones. Its half-life is measured to be 9.0(9) ns, corresponding to a reduced transition probability of B(E2,19/2(-) -> 15/2(-)) = 0.52(6) W.u. The experimentally deduced reduced transition probabilities of the isomeric states are compared to shell-model predictions. Latest shell-model calculations reproduce the experimental findings generally well and provide guidance to the interpretation of the new levels.
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XENON Collaboration(Aprile, E. et al), & Orrigo, S. E. A. (2017). Search for two-neutrino double electron capture of Xe-124 with XENON100. Phys. Rev. C, 95(2), 024605–6pp.
Abstract: Two-neutrino double electron capture is a rare nuclear decay where two electrons are simultaneously captured from the atomic shell. For Xe-124 this process has not yet been observed and its detection would provide a new reference for nuclear matrix element calculations. We have conducted a search for two-neutrino double electron capture from the K shell of 124Xe using 7636 kg d of data from the XENON100 dark matter detector. Using a Bayesian analysis we observed no significant excess above background, leading to a lower 90% credibility limit on the half-life T-1/2 > 6.5 x 10(20) yr. We have also evaluated the sensitivity of the XENON1T experiment, which is currently being commissioned, and found a sensitivity of T-1/2 > 6.1 x 10(22) yr after an exposure of 2 t yr.
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AGATA Collaboration(Klintefjord, M. et al), Gadea, A., & Perez-Vidal, R. M. (2017). Measurement of lifetimes in Fe-62,Fe-64, Co-61,Co-63, and Mn-59. Phys. Rev. C, 95(2), 024312–11pp.
Abstract: Lifetimes of the 4(1)(+) states in Fe-62,Fe-64 and the 11/2(1)(-) states in Co-61,Co-63 and Mn-59 were measured at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL) facility by using the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) and the large-acceptance variable mode spectrometer (VAMOS++). The states were populated through multinucleon transfer reactions with a U-238 beam impinging on a Ni-64 target, and lifetimes in the picosecond range were measured by using the recoil distance Doppler shift method. The data show an increase of collectivity in the iron isotopes approaching N = 40. The reduction of the subshell gap between the nu 2p(1/2) and nu 1g(9/2) orbitals leads to an increased population of the quasi-SU(3) pair (nu 1g(9/2), nu 2d(5/2)), which causes an increase in quadrupole collectivity. This is not observed for the cobalt isotopes withN < 40 for which the neutron subshell gap is larger due to the repulsive monopole component of the tensor nucleon-nucleon interaction. The extracted experimental B(E2) values are compared with large-scale shell-model calculations and with beyond-mean-field calculations with the Gogny D1S interaction. A good agreement between calculations and experimental values is found, and the results demonstrate in particular the spectroscopic quality of the Lenzi, Nowacki, Poves, and Sieja (LNPS) shell-model interaction.
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Wang, E., Xie, J. J., Liang, W. H., Guo, F. K., & Oset, E. (2017). Role of a triangle singularity in the gamma p -> K+Lambda (1405) reaction. Phys. Rev. C, 95(1), 015205–9pp.
Abstract: We show the effects of a triangle singularity mechanism for the gamma p -> K+Lambda(1405) reaction. The mechanism has a N-* resonance around 2030 MeV, which decays into K*Sigma. The K-* decays to K+ pi, and the pi Sigma merge to form the Lambda (1405). This mechanism produces a peak around root s = 2110 MeV, and has its largest contribution around cos theta= 0. The addition of this mechanism to other conventional ones leads to a good reproduction of d sigma/dcos theta and the integrated cross section around this energy, providing a solution to a problem encountered in previous theoretical models.
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