Rice, S. et al, Algora, A., Tain, J. L., Valencia, E., Agramunt, J., Rubio, B., et al. (2017). Total absorption spectroscopy study of the beta decay of Br-86 and Rb-91. Phys. Rev. C, 96(1), 014320–10pp.
Abstract: The beta decays of Br-86 and Rb-91 have been studied using the total absorption spectroscopy technique. The radioactive nuclei were produced at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility in Jyvaskyla and further purified using the JYFLTRAP. Br-86 and Rb-91 are considered to be major contributors to the decay heat in reactors. In addition, Rb-91 was used as a normalization point in direct measurements of mean gamma energies released in the beta decay of fission products by Rudstam et al. assuming that this decaywas well known from high-resolution measurements. Our results show that both decays were suffering from the Pandemonium effect and that the results of Rudstam et al. should be renormalized. The relative impact of the studied decays in the prediction of the decay heat and antineutrino spectrum from reactors has been evaluated.
|
Caballero-Folch, R. et al, Agramunt, J., Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Domingo-Pardo, C., Guadilla, V., et al. (2018). First determination of beta-delayed multiple neutron emission beyond A=100 through direct neutron measurement: The P-2n value of Sb-136. Phys. Rev. C, 98(3), 034310–10pp.
Abstract: Background: beta-delayed multiple neutron emission has been observed for some nuclei with A <= 100 being the Rb-100 the heaviest beta 2n emitter measured to date. So far only 25 P-2n values have been determined for the approximate to 300 nuclei that may decay in this way. Accordingly it is of interest to measure P-2n values for the other possible multiple neutron emitters throughout the chart of the nuclides. It is of particular interest to make such a measurement for nuclei with A > 100 to test the predictions of theoretical models and simulation tools for the decays of heavy nuclei in the region of very neutron-rich nuclei. In addition the decay properties of these nuclei are fundamental for the understanding of astrophysical nucleosynthesis processes such as the r-process and safety inputs for nuclear reactors. Purpose: To determine for the first time the two-neutron branching ratio the P-2n value for Sb-136 through a direct neutron measurement and to provide precise P-1n values for Sb-136 and Te-136. Method: A pure beam of each isotope of interest was provided by the JYFLTRAP Penning trap at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility of the University of Jyvaskyla Finland. The purified ions were implanted into a moving tape at the end of the beam line. The detection setup consisted of a plastic scintillator placed right behind the implantation point after the tape to register the beta decays and the BELEN detector based on neutron counters embedded in a polyethylene matrix. The analysis was based on the study of the beta- and neutron-growth-and-decay curves and the beta-one-neutron and beta-two-neutron time correlations which allowed us the determination of the neutron branching ratios. Results: The P-2n value of Sb-136 was found to be 0.14(3)% and the measured P-1n values for Sb-136 and Te-136 were found to be 32.2(15)% and 1.47(6)% respectively. Conclusions: The measured P-2n value is a factor 44 smaller than predicted by the finite-range droplet model plus the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (FRDM+QRPA) model used for r-process calculations.
|
Phong, V. H. et al, Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Domingo-Pardo, C., Morales, A. I., Tain, J. L., et al. (2019). Observation of a μs isomer in In-134(49)85: Proton-neutron coupling “southeast” of Sn-132(50)82. Phys. Rev. C, 100(1), 011302–6pp.
Abstract: We report on the observation of a microsecond isomeric state in the single-proton-hole, three-neutron-particle nucleus In-134. The nuclei of interest were produced by in-flight fission of a U-238 beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. The isomer depopulates through a gamma ray of energy 56.7(1) keV and with a half-life of T-1/2 = 3.5(4) μs. Based on the comparison with shell-model calculations, we interpret the isomer as the I-pi = 5(-) member of the pi 0g(9/2)(-1) circle times nu 1f(7/2)(3) multiplet, decaying to the I-pi = 7(-) ground state with a reduced-transition probability of B(E2; 5(-) -> 7(-)) = 0.53(6) W.u. Observation of this isomer, and lack of evidence in the current work for a I-pi = 5(-) isomer decay in In-132, provides a benchmark of the proton-neutron interaction in the region of the nuclear chart “southeast” of Sn-132, where experimental information on excited states is sparse.
|
Guadilla, V., Algora, A., Tain, J. L., Agramunt, J., Jordan, D., Monserrate, M., et al. (2019). Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy of niobium isomers. Phys. Rev. C, 100(2), 024311–15pp.
Abstract: The beta-intensity distributions of the decays of Nb-100gs,Nb-100m and Nb-102gs,Nb-102m have been determined using the total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy technique. The JYFLTRAP double Penning trap system was employed in a campaign of challenging measurements performed with the decay total absorption gamma-ray spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility in Jyvaskyla. Different strategies were applied to disentangle the isomeric states involved, lying very close in energy. The low-spin component of each niobium case was populated through the decay of the zirconium parent, which was treated as a contaminant. We have applied a method to extract this contamination, and additionally we have obtained beta-intensity distributions for these zirconium decays. The beta-strength distributions evaluated with these results were compared with calculations in a quasiparticle random-phase approximation, suggesting a prolate configuration for the ground states of Zr-100,Zr-102. The footprint of the Pandemonium effect was found when comparing our results for the analyses of the niobium isotopes with previous decay data. The beta-intensities of the decay of Nb-102m, for which there were no previous data, were obtained. A careful evaluation of the uncertainties was carried out, and the consistency of our results was validated taking advantage of the segmentation of our spectrometer. The final results were used as input in reactor summation calculations. A large impact on antineutrino spectrum calculations was already reported, and here we detail the significant impact on decay heat calculations.
|
Yokoyama, R. et al, Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Domingo-Pardo, C., Morales, A. I., et al. (2019). Strong one-neutron emission from two-neutron unbound states in beta decays of the r-process nuclei Ga-86,Ga-87. Phys. Rev. C, 100(3), 031302–6pp.
Abstract: beta-delayed one-neutron and two-neutron branching ratios (P-1n and P-2n) have been measured in the decay of A = 84 to 87 Ga isotopes at the Radioactive-Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) at the RIKEN Nishina Center using a high-efficiency array of He-3 neutron counters (BRIKEN). Two-neutron emission was observed in the decay of Ga-84,Ga-85,Ga-87 for the first time and the branching ratios were measured to be P-2n = 1.6(2)%, 1.3(2)%, and 10.2(28)(stat)(5)(sys)%, respectively. One-neutron branching ratio of Ga-87 (P-1n = 81(9)(stat)(8)(sys)%) and half-life of 29(4) ms were measured for the first time. The branching ratios of Ga-86 were also measured to be P-1n = 74(2)(stat)(8)(sys)% and 16.2(9)(stat)(6)(sys)% with better precision than a previous study. The observation that P-1n > P-2n for both Ga-86,Ga-87 was unexpected and is interpreted as a signature of dominating one-neutron emission from the two-neutron unbound excited states in Ge-86,Ge-87. In order to interpret the experimental results, shell-model and Hauser-Feshbach statistical model calculations of delayed particle and gamma-ray emission probabilities were performed. This model framework reproduces the experimental results. The shell model alone predicts P-2n significantly larger than P-1n for the Ga-87 decay, and it is necessary to invoke a statistical description to successfully explain the observation that P-1n > P-2n. Our new results demonstrate the relevance and importance of a statistical description of neutron emission for the prediction of the decay properties of multineutron emitters and that it must be included in the r-process modeling.
|
Guadilla, V. et al, Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Jordan, D., Monserrate, M., et al. (2019). Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy of the beta-delayed neutron emitters I-137 and Rb-95. Phys. Rev. C, 100(4), 044305–17pp.
Abstract: The decays of the beta-delayed neutron emitters( 137)I and Rb-95 have been studied with the total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy technique. The purity of the beams provided by the JYFLTRAP Penning trap at the ion guide isotope separator on-line facility in Jyvaskyla allowed us to carry out a campaign of isotopically pure measurements with the decay total absorption gamma-ray spectrometer, a segmented detector composed of 18 NaI(T1) modules. The contamination coming from the interaction of neutrons with the spectrometer has been carefully studied, and we have tested the use of time differences between prompt gamma rays and delayed neutron interactions to eliminate this source of contamination. Due to the sensitivity of our spectrometer, we have found a significant amount of beta intensity to states above the neutron separation energy that deexcite by gamma rays, comparable to the neutron emission probability. The competition between gamma deexcitation and neutron emission has been compared with Hauser-Feshbach calculations, and it can be understood as a nuclear structure effect. In addition, we have studied the impact of the beta-intensity distributions determined in this work on reactor decay heat and reactor antineutrino spectrum summation calculations. The robustness of our results is demonstrated by a thorough study of uncertainties and with the reproduction of the spectra of the individual modules and the module-multiplicity gated spectra. This work represents the state-of-the-art of our analysis methodology for segmented total absorption spectrometers.
|
Guadilla, V. et al, Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Jordan, D., Monserrate, M., et al. (2020). Determination of beta-decay ground state feeding of nuclei of importance for reactor applications. Phys. Rev. C, 102(6), 064304–12pp.
Abstract: In beta-decay studies the determination of the decay probability to the ground state (g.s.) of the daughter nucleus often suffers from large systematic errors. The difficulty of the measurement is related to the absence of associated delayed gamma-ray emission. In this work we revisit the 4 pi gamma – beta method proposed by Greenwood and collaborators in the 1990s, which has the potential to overcome some of the experimental difficulties. Our interest is driven by the need to determine accurately the beta-intensity distributions of fission products that contribute significantly to the reactor decay heat and to the antineutrinos emitted by reactors. A number of such decays have large g.s. branches. The method is relevant for nuclear structure studies as well. Pertinent formulas are revised and extended to the special case of beta-delayed neutron emitters, and the robustness of the method is demonstrated with synthetic data. We apply it to a number of measured decays that serve as test cases and discuss the features of the method. Finally, we obtain g.s. feeding intensities with reduced uncertainty for four relevant decays that will allow future improvements in antineutrino spectrum and decay heat calculations using the summation method.
|
Orrigo, S. E. A. et al, Rubio, B., Gelletly, W., Aguilera, P., Algora, A., Morales, A. I., et al. (2021). beta decay of the very neutron-deficient Ge-60 and Ge-62 nuclei. Phys. Rev. C, 103(1), 014324–12pp.
Abstract: We report here the results of a study of the beta decay of the proton-rich Ge isotopes, Ge-60 and Ge-62, produced in an experiment at the RIKEN Nishina Center. We have improved our knowledge of the half-lives of Ge-62 [73.5(1) ms] and Ge-60 [25.0(3) ms] and its daughter nucleus, Ga-60 [69.4(2) ms]. We measured individual beta-delayed proton and gamma emissions and their related branching ratios. Decay schemes and absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths have been determined. The mass excesses of the nuclei under study have been deduced. A total beta-delayed proton-emission branching ratio of 67(3)% has been obtained for Ge-60. New information has been obtained on the energy levels populated in Ga-60 and on the 1/2(-) excited state in the beta p daughter Zn-59. We extracted a ground state-to-ground state feeding of 85.3(3)% for the decay of Ge-62. Eight new y lines have been added to the deexcitation of levels populated in the Ga-62 daughter.
|
Briz, J. A., Borge, M. J. G., Rubio, B., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Deo, A. Y., et al. (2022). Clarifying the structure of low-lying states in Br-72. Phys. Rev. C, 105(1), 014323–17pp.
Abstract: The spins and parities of low-lying states in 72Br populated in the beta decay of 72Kr have been studied via conversion electron spectroscopy. The measurements were carried out at ISOLDE using a miniorange spectrometer with Si(Li) and HPGe detectors for electrons and gamma ray detection. Results of the conversion coefficients corresponding to transitions deexciting 12 levels in 72Br are reported. The multipolarities of the transitions are deduced and the spins and parities of the levels involved are discussed. From the multipolarities of the most intense transitions to the ground state, the spin and parity of the 72Br ground state have been definitely established as 1+. The spin of the 101.2-keV isomeric state is determined to be 3-. The level scheme is compared with mean-field and shell-model calculations and oblate deformation for the 72Br ground state is deduced. No E0 transitions have been found in 72Br. E0 transitions in the neighboring isobaric nuclei, 72Se and 72Ge, have also been studied.
|
Guadilla, V. et al, Algora, A., Tain, J. L., Agramunt, J., Jordan, D., Monserrate, M., et al. (2022). Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy of the ss decays of Y-96gs,Y-m. Phys. Rev. C, 106(1), 014306–14pp.
Abstract: The ss decays of the ground state (gs) and isomeric state (m) of Y-96 have been studied with the total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy technique at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility. The separation of the 8(+) isomeric state from the 0(-) ground state was achieved thanks to the purification capabilities of the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap system. The ss-intensity distributions of both decays have been independently determined. In the analyses the deexcitation of the 1581.6 keV level in Zr-96, in which conversion electron emission competes with pair production, has been carefully considered and found to have significant impact on the ss-detector efficiency, influencing the ss-intensity distribution obtained. Our results for Y-96gs (0(-)) confirm the large ground state to ground state ss-intensity probability, although a slightly larger value than reported in previous studies was obtained, amounting to 96.6(-2.1)(+0.3) % of the total ss intensity. Given that the decay of Y-96gs is the second most important contributor to the reactor antineutrino spectrum between 5 and 7 MeV, the impact of the present results on reactor antineutrino summation calculations has been evaluated. In the decay of Y-96m (8(+)), previously undetected ss intensity in transitions to states above 6 MeV has been observed. This shows the importance of total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements of ss decays with highly fragmented deexcitation patterns. Y-96m (8(+)) is a major contributor to reactor decay heat in uranium-plutonium and thorium-uranium fuels around 10 s after fission pulses, and the newly measured average ss and gamma energies differ significantly from the previous values in evaluated databases. The discrepancy is far above the previously quoted uncertainties. Finally, we also report on the successful implementation of an innovative total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy analysis of the module-multiplicity gated spectra, as a first proof of principle to distinguish between decaying states with very different spin-parity values.
|
