Fujita, Y. et al, Algora, A., Estevez-Aguado, E., Molina, F., & Rubio, B. (2015). High-resolution study of Gamow-Teller excitations in the Ca-42(He-3,t)Sc-42 reaction and the observation of a “low-energy super-Gamow-Teller state”. Phys. Rev. C, 91(6), 064316–15pp.
Abstract: To study the Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions from the T-z = +1 nucleus Ca-42 to the T-z = 0 nucleus Sc-42, where T-z is the z component of isospin T, we performed a (p, n)-type (He-3, t) charge-exchange reaction at 140 MeV/nucleon and scattering angles around 0 degrees. With an energy resolution of 29 keV, states excited by GT transitions (GT states) could be studied accurately. The reduced GT transition strengths B(GT) were derived up to the excitation energy of 13 MeV, assuming the proportionality between the cross sections at 0 degrees and B(GT) values. The main part of the observed GT transition strength is concentrated in the lowest 0.611-MeV, J(pi) = 1(+) GT state. All the other states at higher energies are weakly excited. Shell-model calculations could reproduce the gross feature of the experimental B(GT) distribution, and random-phase-approximation calculations including an attractive isoscalar interaction showed that the 0.611-MeV state has a collective nature. It was found that this state has all of the properties of a “low-energy super-Gamow-Teller state.” It is expected that low-lying J(pi) = 1(+) GT states have T = 0 in the T-z = 0 nucleus Sc-42. However, T = 1 states are situated in a higher energy region. Assuming an isospin-analogous structure in A = 42 isobars, analogous T = 1, 1(+) states are also expected in Ca-42. Comparing the Ca-42(He-3, t)Sc-42 and Ca-42(p, p') spectra measured at 0 degrees, candidates for T = 1 GT states could be found in the 10-12-MeV region of Sc-42. They were all weakly excited. The mass dependence of the GT strength distributions in Sc isotopes is also discussed.
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Orrigo, S. E. A. et al, Rubio, B., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., & Molina, F. (2015). β-delayed γ-proton decay in 56Zn: analysis of the charged-particle spectrum. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 46(3), 709–712.
Abstract: A study of the beta decay of the proton-rich T-z = 2 nucleus Zn-56 has been reported in a recent publication. A rare and exotic decay mode, beta-delayed gamma-proton decay, has been observed there for the first time in the fp shell. Here, we expand on some of the details of the data analysis, focussing on the charged particle spectrum.
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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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Molina, F. et al, Rubio, B., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Domingo-Pardo, C., Gadea, A., et al. (2015). T-z =-1 -> 0 beta decays of Ni-54, Fe-50, Cr-46, and Ti-42 and comparison with mirror (He-3,t) measurements. Phys. Rev. C, 91(1), 014301–19pp.
Abstract: We have studied the beta decay of the T-z = -1, f(7/2) shell nuclei Ni-54, Fe-50, Cr-46, and Ti-42 produced in fragmentation reactions. The proton separation energies in the daughter T-z = 0 nuclei are relatively large (approximate to 4-5 MeV) so studies of the. rays are essential. The experiments were performed at GSI as part of the Stopped-beam campaign with the RISING setup consisting of 15 Euroball Cluster Ge detectors. From the newly obtained high precision beta-decay half-lives, excitation energies, and beta branching ratios, we were able to extract Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths in these beta decays. With these improved results it was possible to compare in detail the Gamow-Teller (GT) transition strengths observed in beta decay including a sensitivity limit with the strengths of the T-z = +1 to T-z = 0 transitions derived from high resolution (He-3,t) reactions on the mirror target nuclei at RCNP, Osaka. The accumulated B(GT) strength obtained from both experiments looks very similar although the charge exchange reaction provides information on a broader energy range. Using the “merged analysis” one can obtain a full picture of the B(GT) over the full Q(beta) range. Looking at the individual transitions some differences are observed, especially for the weak transitions. Their possible origins are discussed.
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Grodner, E. et al, Gadea, A., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Domingo-Pardo, C., Molina, F., et al. (2014). Hindered Gamow-Teller Decay to the Odd-Odd N = Z Ga-62: Absence of Proton-Neutron T=0 Condensate in A=62. Phys. Rev. Lett., 113(9), 092501–5pp.
Abstract: Search for a new kind of superfluidity built on collective proton-neutron pairs with aligned spin is performed studying the Gamow-Teller decay of the T = 1, J(pi) = 0(+) ground state of Ge-62 into excited states of the odd-odd N = Z nucleus Ga-62. The experiment is performed at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Shwerionenforshung with the Ge-62 ions selected by the fragment separator and implanted in a stack of Si-strip detectors, surrounded by the RISING Ge array. A half-life of T-1/2 = 2 82.9(14) ms is measured for the Ge-62 ground state. Six excited states of Ga-62, populated below 2.5 MeV through Gamow-Teller transitions, are identified. Individual Gamow-Teller transition strengths agree well with theoretical predictions of the interacting shell model and the quasiparticle random phase approximation. The absence of any sizable low-lying Gamow-Teller strength in the reported beta-decay experiment supports the hypothesis of a negligible role of coherent T = 0 proton-neutron correlations in Ga-62.
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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.
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Rubio, B. et al, Orrigo, S. E. A., Montaner-Piza, A., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., & Molina, F. (2014). Beta Decay Study of the T-z =-2 Zn-56 Nucleus and the Determination of the Half-Lives of a Few fp-shell Nuclei. Nucl. Data Sheets, 120, 37–40.
Abstract: This paper concerns the experimental study of the beta decay properties of few proton-rich fp-shell nuclei. The nuclei were produced at GANIL in fragmentation reactions, separated with the LISE spectrometer and stopped in an implantation detector surrounded by Ge detectors. The beta-delayed gammas, beta-delayed protons and the exotic beta-delayed gamma-proton emission have been studied. Preliminary results are presented. The decay of the T-z = -2 nucleus Zn-56 has been studied in detail. Information from the beta-delayed protons and beta-delayed gammas has been used to deduce the decay scheme. The exotic beta-delayed gamma-proton decay has been observed for the first time in the fp-shell. The interpretation of the data was made possible thanks to the detailed knowledge of the mirror Charge Exchange (CE) process and the gamma de-excitation of the states in Co-56, the mirror nucleus of Cu-56.
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Algora, A. et al, Valencia, E., Tain, J. L., Jordan, M. D., Agramunt, J., Rubio, B., et al. (2014). Total Absorption Study of Beta Decays Relevant for Nuclear Applications and Nuclear Structure. Nucl. Data Sheets, 120, 12–15.
Abstract: An overview is given of our activities related to the study of the beta decay of neutron rich nuclei relevant for nuclear applications. Recent results of the study of the beta decay of Br-87,Br-88 using a new segmented total absorption spectrometer are presented. The measurements were performed at the IGISOL facility using trap-assisted total absorption spectroscopy.
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Karakoc, M. et al, & Molina, F. (2014). Gamow-Teller transitions in the A=40 isoquintet of relevance for neutrino captures in Ar-40. Phys. Rev. C, 89(6), 064313–7pp.
Abstract: Background: The Gamow-Teller response of Ar-40 is important for the use of liquid argon as a medium for neutrino detection. An ambiguity about the Gamow-Teller strength for the excitation of 1(+) states at 2290 and 2730 keV in K-40 results in a significant uncertainty for neutrino capture rates. This ambiguity is caused by the large discrepancy observed between strengths extracted from Ar-40(p, n) charge-exchange data and the transition strengths for the analog transitions studied in the beta decay of Ti-40. Purpose: This study was aimed at resolving the ambiguity between the results from the Ar-40(p, n) charge-exchange and Ti-40 beta-decay data. Method: Shell-model calculations in the sd-pf shell with a new interaction (WBMB-C) were used to study differences between the structure of the transitions from Ar-40 and Ti-40. Distorted-wave Born approximation reaction calculations were used to investigate uncertainties in the extraction of Gamow-Teller strength from the Ar-40(p, n) data. New high-resolution data for the Ar-40(He-3,t) reaction were used to gain further insight into the charge-exchange reaction mechanism and to provide more information to test the validity of the shell-model calculations. Results: The shell-model calculations showed that interference between amplitudes associated with pf and sd components to the low-lying Gamow-Teller transitions, in combination with a difference in Coulomb energy shifts for Ar-40 and Ti-40, can produce the differences on the scale of those observed between the Ar-40 charge-exchange and Ti-40 beta-decay data. In combination with the difference in nuclear penetrability of the (p, n) and (He-3,t) probes, the different contributions from amplitudes associated with transitions in the pf and sd shells are likely also responsible for the observed discrepancy between the ratio of the cross sections for the low-lying 1(+) states in the Ar-40(p, n) and Ar-40(He-3,t) data. Conclusions: On the basis of this study, it is recommended to use Gamow-Teller strengths extracted from the Ar-40(p, n) data, not the Ti-40 beta-decay data, for the calculation of neutrino capture rates. Further theoretical studies are required to achieve a consistent quantitative description for the energy differences between low-lying 1(+) states in K-40 and Sc-40 and the experimentally observed Gamow-Teller strengths.
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Orrigo, S. E. A. et al, Rubio, B., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., & Molina, F. (2014). Observation of the beta-Delayed gamma-Proton Decay of Zn-56 and its Impact on the Gamow-Teller Strength Evaluation. Phys. Rev. Lett., 112(22), 222501–5pp.
Abstract: We report the observation of a very exotic decay mode at the proton drip line, the beta-delayed gamma-proton decay, clearly seen in the beta decay of the T-z = -2 nucleus Zn-56. Three gamma-proton sequences have been observed after the beta decay. Here this decay mode, already observed in the sd shell, is seen for the first time in the f p shell. Both. and proton decays have been taken into account in the estimation of the Fermi and Gamow-Teller strengths. Evidence for fragmentation of the Fermi strength due to strong isospin mixing is found.
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