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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Mason, P. J. R. et al, & Algora, A. (2013). Half-life of the yrast 2(+) state in W-188: Evolution of deformation and collectivity in neutron-rich tungsten isotopes. Phys. Rev. C, 88(4), 044301–6pp.
Abstract: The half-life of the yrast I-pi = 2(+) state in the neutron-rich nucleus W-188 has been measured using fast-timing techniques with the HPGe and LaBr3:Ce array at the National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest. The resulting value of t(1/2) = 0.87(12) ns is equivalent to a reduced transition probability of B(E2;2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+)) = 85(12) W.u. for this transition. The B(E2;2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+)) is compared to neighboring tungsten isotopes and nuclei in the Hf, Os, and Pt isotopic chains. Woods-Saxon potential energy surface (PES) calculations have been performed for nuclei in the tungsten isotopic chain and predict prolate deformed minima with rapidly increasing gamma softness for W184-192 and an oblate minimum for W-194.
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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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Sarriguren, P., Algora, A., & Pereira, J. (2014). Gamow-Teller response in deformed even and odd neutron-rich Zr and Mo isotopes. Phys. Rev. C, 89(3), 034311–13pp.
Abstract: beta-decay properties of neutron-rich Zr and Mo isotopes are investigated within a microscopic theoretical approach based on the proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation. The underlying mean field is described self-consistently from deformed Skyrme Hartree-Fock calculations with pairing correlations. Residual separable particle-hole and particle-particle forces are also included in the formalism. The structural evolution in these isotopic chains including both even and odd isotopes is analyzed in terms of the equilibrium deformed shapes. Gamow-Teller strength distributions, beta-decay half-lives, and beta-delayed neutron-emission probabilities are studied, stressing their relevance to describe the path of the nucleosynthesis rapid neutron capture process.
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Van Isacker, P., Algora, A., Vitéz-Sveiczer, A., Kiss, G. G., Orrigo, S. E. A., Rubio, B., et al. (2023). Gamow-Teller Beta Decay and Pseudo-SU(4) Symmetry. Symmetry-Basel, 15(11), 2001–15pp.
Abstract: We report on recent experimental results on beta decay into self-conjugate ( N = Z) nuclei with mass number 58 <= A <= 70. Super-allowed b decays from the J(pi) = 0(+) ground state of a Z = N + 2 parent nucleus are to the isobaric analogue state through so-called Fermi transitions and to J(pi) = 1(+) states by way of Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions. The operator of the latter decay is a generator of Wigner's SU(4) algebra and as a consequence GT transitions obey selection rules associated with this symmetry. Since SU(4) is progressively broken with increasing A, mainly as a consequence of the spinorbit interaction, this symmetry is not relevant for the nuclei considered here. We argue, however, that the pseudo-spin-orbit splitting can be small in nuclei with 58 <= A <= 70, in which case nuclear states exhibit an approximate pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. To test this conjecture, GT decay strength is calculated with use of a schematic Hamiltonian with pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. Some generic features of the GT beta decay due to pseudo-SU(4) symmetry are pointed out. The experimentally observed GT strength indicates a restoration of pseudo-SU(4) symmetry for A = 70.
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Wu, J. et al, Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Morales, A. I., Orrigo, S. E. A., Tain, J. L., et al. (2022). First observation of isomeric states in 111Zr, 113Nb, and 115Mo. Phys. Rev. C, 106(6), 064328–5pp.
Abstract: Isomeric states in the neutron-rich nuclei 111Zr [T1/2 = 0.10(7) μs], 113Nb [T1/2 = 0.7(4) μs], 115Mo [T1/2 = 46(3) μs] were first identified at the Radioactive Ion Beam Factory (RIBF) of RIKEN by using in-flight fission and fragmentation of a 238U beam at an energy of 345 MeV/u. This is a brief report of the gamma transitions de -exciting from isomeric states and half-lives measurements, which provides the first spectroscopy in the nuclear region of prolate-to-oblate shape-phase transition around mass A approximate to 110.
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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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Caballero-Folch, R. et al, Domingo-Pardo, C., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Rubio, B., & Tain, J. L. (2016). First Measurement of Several beta-Delayed Neutron Emitting Isotopes Beyond N=126. Phys. Rev. Lett., 117(1), 012501–6pp.
Abstract: The beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities of neutron rich Hg and Tl nuclei have been measured together with beta-decay half-lives for 20 isotopes of Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, and Bi in the mass region N greater than or similar to 126. These are the heaviest species where neutron emission has been observed so far. These measurements provide key information to evaluate the performance of nuclear microscopic and phenomenological models in reproducing the high-energy part of the beta-decay strength distribution. This provides important constraints on global theoretical models currently used in r-process nucleosynthesis.
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Benzoni, G. et al, Gadea, A., & Algora, A. (2012). First measurement of beta decay half-lives in neutron-rich Tl and Bi isotopes. Phys. Lett. B, 715(4-5), 293–297.
Abstract: Neutron-rich isotopes around lead, beyond N = 126, have been studied exploiting the fragmentation of an uranium primary beam at the FRS-RISING setup at GSI. For the first time beta-decay half-lives of Bi-219 and Tl-211,Tl-212,Tl-213 isotopes have been derived. The half-lives have been extracted using a numerical simulation developed for experiments in high-background conditions. Comparison with state of the art models used in r-process calculations is given, showing a systematic underestimation of the experimental values, at variance from close-lying nuclei.
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Hafner, G. et al, & Algora, A. (2021). First lifetime investigations of N > 82 iodine isotopes: The quest for collectivity. Phys. Rev. C, 104(1), 014316–18pp.
Abstract: We report on spectroscopic information and lifetime measurements in the neutron-rich I-135,I-137,I-139 isotopes. This is the first lifetime data on iodine isotopes beyond N = 82. Excited states were populated in fast neutron-induced fission of U-238 at the ALTO facility of IJCLab with the LICORNE neutron source and detected using the hybrid nu-ball spectrometer. The level schemes of the I-135,I-137,I-139 isotopes are revised in terms of excited states with up to maximum spin-parity of (33/2(+)), populated for the first time in fast neutron-induced fission. We provide first results on the lifetimes of the (9/2(1)(+)) and (13/2(1)(+)) states in I-137 and I-139, and the (17/2(1)(+)) state in 137I. In addition, we give upper lifetime limits for the (11/2(1)(+)) states in I135-139, the (15/2(1)(+)) state in I-137, the (17/2(1)(+)) state in I-139, and reexamine the (29/2(1)(+)) state in I-137. The isomeric data in I-13(5) are reinvestigated, such as the previously known (15/2(1)(+)) and (23/21) isomers with T-1/2 of 1.64(14) and 4.6(7) ns, respectively, as obtained in this work. The new spectroscopic information is compared to that from spontaneous or thermal-neutron induced fission and discussed in the context of large scale shell-model (LSSM) calculations for the region beyond Sn-132, indicating the behavior of collectivity for the three valence-proton iodine chain with N = 82, 84, 86.
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