|
|
Pedersen, L. G. et al, & Morales, A. I. (2023). First spectroscopic study of odd-odd 78Cu. Phys. Rev. C, 107(4), 044301–10pp.
Abstract: Nuclei in the vicinity of 78Ni are important benchmarks for nuclear structure, which can reveal changes in the shell structure far from stability. Spectroscopy of the odd-odd isotope 78Cu was performed for the first time in an experiment with the EURICA setup at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN Nishina Center. Excited states in the neutron-rich isotope were populated following the beta decay of 78Ni produced by in-flight fission and and separated by the BigRIPS separator. A level scheme based on the analysis of γ−γ coincidences is presented. Tentative spin and parity assignments were made when possible based on the β-decay feeding intensities and γ-decay properties of the excited states. Time correlations between β and γ decay show clear indications of an isomeric state with a half-life of 3.8(4) ms. Large-scale Monte Carlo shell-model calculations were performed using the A3DA-m interaction and a valence space comprising the full fp shell and the 1g9/2 and 2d5/2 orbitals for both protons and neutrons. The comparison of the experimental results with the shell-model calculations allows interpreting the excited states in terms of spin multiplets arising from the proton-neutron interaction. The results provide further insight into the evolution of the proton single-particle orbitals as a function of neutron number, and quantitative information about the proton-neutron interaction outside the doubly magic 78Ni core.
|
|
|
|
IDS Collaboration(Heideman, J. et al), Algora, A., & Morales, A. I. (2023). Evidence of nonstatistical neutron emission following beta decay near doubly magic Sn-132. Phys. Rev. C, 108(2), 024311–9pp.
Abstract: Models of the beta-delayed neutron emission (beta n) assume that neutrons are emitted statistically via an intermediate compound nucleus post beta decay. Evidence to the contrary was found in an In-134 beta-decay experiment carried out at ISOLDE CERN. Neutron emission probabilities from the unbound states in Sn-134 to known low-lying, single-particle states in Sn-133 were measured. The neutron energies were determined using the time-of-flight technique, and the subsequent decay of excited states in Sn-133 was studied using gamma-ray detectors. Individual beta n probabilities were determined by correlating the relative intensities and energies of neutrons and gamma rays. The experimental data disagree with the predictions of representative statistical models which are based upon the compound nucleus postulate. Our results suggest that violation of the compound nucleus assumption may occur in beta-delayed neutron emission. This impacts the neutron-emission probabilities and other properties of nuclei participating in the r-process. A model of neutron emission, which links the observed neutron emission probabilities to nuclear shell effects, is proposed.
|
|
|
|
Xu, Z. Y. et al, Algora, A., & Morales, A. I. (2023). Beta-delayed neutron spectroscopy of 133In. Phys. Rev. C, 108(1), 014314–9pp.
Abstract: The decay properties of 133In were studied in detail at the ISOLDE Decay Station. The implementation of the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source allowed separate measurements of its 9/2+ ground state (133gIn) and 1/2- isomer (133mIn). With the use of & beta;-delayed neutron and & gamma; spectroscopy, the decay strengths above the neutron separation energy were quantified in this neutron-rich nucleus for the first time. The allowed Gamow-Teller transition 9/2+ & RARR; 7/2+ was located at 5.93 MeV in the 133gIn decay with a log ft = 4.7(1). In addition, several neutron-unbound states were populated at lower excitation energies by the first-forbidden decays of 133g,mIn. We assigned spins and parities to those neutron-unbound states based on the & beta;-decay selection rules, the log ft values, and systematics.
|
|
|
|
Yokoyama, R. et al, Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Domingo-Pardo, C., Morales, A. I., et al. (2023). β-delayed neutron emissions from N > 50 gallium isotopes. Phys. Rev. C, 108(6), 064307–15pp.
Abstract: beta-delayed gamma-neutron spectroscopy has been performed on the decay of A=84 to 87 gallium isotopes at the RI-beam Factory at the RIKEN Nishina Center using a high-efficiency array of 3He neutron counters (BRIKEN). beta-2n-gamma events were measured in the decays of all of the four isotopes for the first time, which is direct evidence for populating the excited states of two-neutron daughter nuclei. Detailed decay schemes with the gamma branching ratios were obtained for these isotopes, and the neutron emission probabilities (P-xn) were updated from the previous study. Hauser-Feshbach statistical model calculations were performed to understand the experimental branching ratios. We found that the P-1n and P-2n values are sensitive to the nuclear level densities of 1n daughter nuclei and showed that the statistical model reproduced the P-2n/P-1n ratio better when experimental levels plus shell-model level densities fit by the Gilbert-Cameron formula were used as the level-density input. We also showed the neutron and gamma branching ratios are sensitive to the ground-state spin of the parent nucleus. Our statistical model analysis suggested J <= 3 for the unknown ground-state spin of the odd-odd nucleus Ga-86, from the I gamma(4(+)-> 2(+))/I-gamma(2(+)-> 0(+)) ratio of Ga-84 and the P-2n/P-1n ratio. These results show the necessity of detailed understanding of the decay scheme, including data from neutron spectroscopy, in addition to gamma measurements of the multineutron emitters.
|
|
|
|
Morales, A. I., Algora, A., Molina, F., & Rubio, B. (2014). Half-Life Systematics across the N=126 Shell Closure: Role of First-Forbidden Transitions in the beta Decay of Heavy Neutron-Rich Nuclei. Phys. Rev. Lett., 113(2), 022702–5pp.
Abstract: This Letter reports on a systematic study of beta-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei around doubly magic Pb-208. The lifetimes of the 126-neutron shell isotone Pt-204 and the neighboring Ir200-202, Pt-203, Au-204 are presented together with other 19 half-lives measured during the “stopped beam” campaign of the rare isotope investigations at GSI collaboration. The results constrain the main nuclear theories used in calculations of r-process nucleosynthesis. Predictions based on a statistical macroscopic description of the first-forbidden beta strength reveal significant deviations for most of the nuclei with N < 126. In contrast, theories including a fully microscopic treatment of allowed and first-forbidden transitions reproduce more satisfactorily the trend in the measured half-lives for the nuclei in this region, where the r-process pathway passes through during beta decay back to stability.
|
|
|
|
Goigoux, T. et al, Algora, A., Guadilla, V., Montaner-Piza, A., Morales, A. I., Orrigo, S. E. A., et al. (2016). Two-Proton Radioactivity of Kr-67. Phys. Rev. Lett., 117(16), 162501–6pp.
Abstract: In an experiment with the BigRIPS separator at the RIKEN Nishina Center, we observed two-proton (2p) emission from Kr-67. At the same time, no evidence for 2p emission of Ge-59 and Se-63, two other potential candidates for this exotic radioactivity, could be observed. This observation is in line with Q value predictions which pointed to Kr-67 as being the best new candidate among the three for two-proton radioactivity. Kr-67 is only the fourth 2p ground-state emitter to be observed with a half-life of the order of a few milliseconds. The decay energy was determined to be 1690(17) keV, the 2p emission branching ratio is 37(14)%, and the half-life of Kr-67 is 7.4(30) ms.
|
|
|
|
Phong, V. H. et al, Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Domingo-Pardo, C., Morales, A. I., Rubio, B., et al. (2022). Beta-Delayed One and Two Neutron Emission Probabilities South-East of Sn-132 and the Odd-Even Systematics in r-Process Nuclide Abundances. Phys. Rev. Lett., 129(18), 172701–7pp.
Abstract: The beta-delayed one- and two-neutron emission probabilities (P-1n and P-2n) of 20 neutron-rich nuclei with N >= 82 have been measured at the RIBF facility of the RIKEN Nishina Center. P-1n of Ag-130;131, Cd-133;134, In-135;136, and (138;13)9Sn were determined for the first time, and stringent upper limits were placed on P-2n for nearly all cases. beta-delayed two-neutron emission (beta 2n) was unambiguously identified in Cd-133 and In-135;136, and their P-2n were measured. Weak beta 2n was also detected from Sn-137;138. Our results highlight the effect of the N = 82 and Z = 50 shell closures on beta-delayed neutron emission probability and provide stringent benchmarks for newly developed macroscopic-microscopic and self-consistent global models with the inclusion of a statistical treatment of neutron and. emission. The impact of our measurements on r-process nucleosynthesis was studied in a neutron star merger scenario. Our P-1n and P-2n have a direct impact on the
|
|
|
|
Xu, Z. Y. et al, Algora, A., & Morales, A. I. (2023). 133In: A Rosetta Stone for Decays of r-Process Nuclei. Phys. Rev. Lett., 131(2), 022501–6pp.
Abstract: The beta decays from both the ground state and a long-lived isomer of In-133 were studied at the ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS). With a hybrid detection system sensitive to beta,gamma, and neutron spectroscopy, the comparative partial half-lives (log ft) have been measured for all their dominant beta-decay channels for the first time, including a low-energy Gamow-Teller transition and several first-forbidden (FF) transitions. Uniquely for such a heavy neutron-rich nucleus, their beta decays selectively populate only a few isolated neutron unbound states in Sn-133. Precise energy and branching-ratio measurements of those resonances allow us to benchmark beta-decay theories at an unprecedented level in this region of the nuclear chart. The results show good agreement with the newly developed large-scale shell model (LSSM) calculations. The experimental findings establish an archetype for the beta decay of neutron-rich nuclei southeast of Sn-132 and will serve as a guide for future theoretical development aiming to describe accurately the key beta decays in the rapid-neutron capture (r-) process.
|
|
|
|
Morales, A. I. et al. (2017). Type II shell evolution in A=70 isobars from the N >= 40 island of inversion. Phys. Lett. B, 765, 328–333.
Abstract: The level structures of Co-70 and Ni-70, populated from the Chi decay of Fe-70, have been investigated using beta-delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy following in-flight fission of a U-238 beam. The experimental results are compared to Monte-Carlo Shell-Model calculations including the pf + g(9/2) + d(5/2) orbitals. The strong population of a (1(+)) state at 274 keV in Co-70 is at variance with the expected excitation energy of 1 MeV from near spherical single-particle estimates. This observation indicates a dominance of prolate deformed intruder configurations in the low-lying levels, which coexist with the normal near spherical states. It is shown that the 13 decay of the neutron-rich A = 70 isobars from the new island of inversion to the Z = 28 closed-shell regime progresses in accordance with a newly reported type of shell evolution, the so-called Type II, which involves many particle-hole excitations across energy gaps.
|
|
|
|
Morales, A. I. et al. (2018). Is seniority a partial dynamic symmetry in the first νg(9/2) shell? Phys. Lett. B, 781, 706–712.
Abstract: The low-lying structures of the midshell vg(9/2) Ni isotopes Ni-72 and Ni-74 have been investigated at the RIBF facility in RIKEN within the EURICA collaboration. Previously unobserved low-lying states were accessed for the first time following beta decay of the mother nuclei Co-72 and Co-74. As a result, we provide a complete picture in terms of the seniority scheme up to the first (8(+)) levels for both nuclei. The experimental results are compared to shell-model calculations in order to define to what extent the seniority quantum number is preserved in the first neutron g(9/2) shell. We find that the disappearance of the seniority isomerism in the (8(1)(+)) states can be explained by a lowering of the seniority-four (6(+)) levels as predicted years ago. For Ni-74, the internal de-excitation pattern of the newly observed (6(2)(+)) state supports a restoration of the normal seniority ordering up to spin J = 4. This property, unexplained by the shell-model calculations, is in agreement with a dominance of the single-particle spherical regime near Ni-78.
|
|
